The Rise of Athena
by ClassicBrie19
Summary: The Goddess Athena fell from Olympus and hides from her murderous brother, Ares, in New York City, working for S.H.I.E.L.D. as a doctor. When Steve Rogers falls victim to the mysterious attacker haunting New York's streets, Athena is swept into the Avengers' mission. And the Avengers are caught up in her war for the throne.
1. Prologue

The sting of fresh wounds overwhelmed her body as she fell toward the Earth. The war still raged above her, she could see it through the portal she had fallen through. Swords clashed and battle cries roared. The young woman shed a tear as the scene faded above her.

The bloodstained white fabric whipped around her frame, her wild brown hair tangled in her harsh decent. Her body collided with the ground and rebounded like a ragdoll, the impact forced the air out of her lungs like a content sigh. A moment of beauty in a tragic time.

She sat up and wiped her tears away, the blood on her hand smeared across her cheeks like war paint. She would have worn war paint if not for the ambush.

The attack had been the start of a surprising war that would rage on and on unless she could return to stop it. Her claim to an ancient and important throne on the line. Her father had proclaimed that it would belong to her, his firstborn. But her brother, a jealous and greedy beast, contested her right. He was the vile beginner of the fight.

She stood and tried to identify where she was. The air was different, heavier, and the gravity was lighter. There were trees all around, but not like a forest. The trees were squat with twisted branches like mythical monsters. From their branches hung ripe red apples.

Earth, she was on Earth. She wasn't too far away from her home. Pain seized her body and the woman realized what a ragged state she was in. It looked like she would be stuck on Earth until she could regain her strength.

Her brother could make no doubt, she would return to reclaim her throne and save her family. She was Athena, firstborn of Zeus. Goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare. The true heir to the throne of Olympus. And it would be hers once again.


	2. Not Your Ordinary Day

The Upper East Side of New York City was known for its elegant brownstones. Clustered together to form a great wall of brick and stucco, accented with windows and little staircases. They were best known for being the homes of the social elite, people the mortals treated like modern-day gods. But they would never consider the brownstones a place where a goddess would reside.

Goddesses were supposed to live in grand palaces or hidden hovels in the woods. Not common townhouses in New York City. It was hard to picture one sitting on the back patio with her feet popped up on the bistro table, a book laid across her lap. Enjoying a cup of tea in the crisp fall air. It certainly wasn't a balcony overlooking the grand waterfalls of Olympus but the patio's high brick walls, cascading greenery, and marble fountain were just as good.

The house was a gift after all, and who was the great goddess Athena to reject gifts when there were so few to be had. And she needed somewhere to enjoy her days off.

After her fall, S.H.I.E.L.D. offered her a proposition since she was stuck on Earth for an indefinite amount of time. S.H.I.E.L.D. would help her find a job and housing and help her assimilate into human life and Athena wouldn't cause any trouble. She raised a little ruckus with the townhouse ordeal but, in her defense, it was an unused safehouse excluded from any of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s records. After she sweet-talked Fury into letting her inhabit the property, his superiors weren't the happiest.

It was a five-thousand square foot masterpiece. Two floors were dedicated to master bedrooms, one of which Athena turned into a private museum of sorts. And the rooftop terrace was perfect for gazing at the night sky and wishing for more stars. She could host fabulous parties if she wanted to. But for parties she needed friends and Athena was short on those.

For the time being, she enjoyed having a big place for herself and her books. The one she held in her hands was an old favorite. The worn, aged pages felt familiar against her fingertips. The ancient script scrawled along them made her miss her home.

Golden sunlight streamed down through the clear November sky. Birds chirped and flitted from the little house concealed in the foliage. The only way the day could get better was if it was a little warmer. She took another sip of tea from her still warm mug before she retired back inside.

The book found its place on the shelf once again and the mug to the sink in the upstairs kitchen. She went up another flight on the spiral staircase and into the bedroom that she turned into a little museum. It had an old Victorian glamour hidden behind her collections. Birchwood parquet floors, a marble fireplace, and a cream color scheme. Pottery from private collectors and hundreds of books from libraries. Handwoven tapestries hung about the walls.

Athena had made it a hobby to collect things that reminded her of home. Little statue horses and paintings of muses and gods. A few ottomans and settees and even potted olive and citrus trees.

Athena's bedroom was the only room that resembled an actual home instead of a museum. After staying with a host family for so long, Athena had gotten used to modern styles. Mahogany wood paneling, glass tiled floors, and a bathtub large enough for two that faced a fireplace. Of course, she couldn't forget about the King-sized bed with more than enough pillows. In Olympus, she slept with a thin sheet to cover her. Now, she couldn't fall asleep without a heavy comforter pulled up to her chin. Unlike in the summer with her host family.

There was only one window air conditioning unit for the apartment and it was in the living room. When the bedroom fans didn't provide enough circulation, Athena and her brothers would set up camp in the living room. Making forts out of the couch cushions and pillows and staying up much later than Lydia wanted them too. It was great to feel like a kid without responsibility, something she missed during the war in Olympus.

The Manikas was first-generation Greek Immigrants with ties to S.H.I.E.L.D. And they accepted a strange woman from a strange land with open arms. Lydia and Kostas Manikas had three sons who were rowdy and kept Athena on her toes. There was once a prank war lasting three weeks, it was only stopped by The Great Christmas Truce of 1989.

Christmas was coming soon. And with the Manikas' huge family it was always a big festivity. They rented out a community center for the party and hosted a mini-Olympics. Athena thought about offering up her house as a fee free alternative but other than the basement there wasn't enough room to fit all of the uncles, aunts, and cousins that came along with being a Manikas. And the kitchen certainly wasn't large enough to hold all the food.

As Athena picked up the hamper from her bathroom, her cell phone rang, the symbol for S.H.I.E.L.D appeared on the screen. She set the basket back down and answered it urgently. A call meant an emergency that Athena's inferiors couldn't handle.

"Doctor Pallas, we know it's your day off, but we need you to come in. We have a special case for you to look at," a nurse stated, a hushed urgency to her voice.

Athena sighed and made her way back down the stairs, "Alright, I'll be there as soon as possible."

She was not dressed to be anywhere near the medical wing. Her oversized sweatshirt, jogger sweatpants and fuzzy socked feet didn't exude medical professionalism. She shoved her feet into a pair of athletic trainers and squeaked across the green marble floor of the entryway, grabbing her coat and keys on her way out the door. No one on the street cared to look at the woman in the trench coat climbing into the Suburban on the side of the road.

It was only a quick drive from the townhouse to the Triskelion on Roosevelt Island. Clouds rolled in as she traveled, blocking out the comforting sun and bringing bitter winds with them. She left her car in the S.H.I.E.L.D authorized parking lot and took the ferry to the dock of the Triskelion like she would on any other morning.

But unlike the usual morning routine, the medical wing swarmed with agents and doctors all talking over one another. Mortals would never change. All Athena heard was "attacked agent" and "lucky to be alive".

"Stop talking!" she barked, "Your words won't help him. Either show me where he is or let him die."

They pushed open the door to reveal the unconscious agent.

"He was attacked at a surveillance point and started seizing when he came into contact with epinephrine. There are no obvious wounds on his body and we have no idea what caused it," Athena's colleague stated.

"Are you sure you didn't find anything?"

"Well here are his blood test results, you can look through them and tell me if you see anything unusual."

He handed Athena a manila folder and she flipped through it. Unusual didn't begin to describe it. Strange symbols decorated the page, printed in strange lines and overlapping in places. Athena recognized none of them and she knew several languages that used characters instead of the Latin alphabet.

"Is this a joke?"

The doctor adjusted his glasses, "No. The machine went haywire. Beeping and shaking. Every button flashing. It spat out those results before completely breaking down. Maintenance is working on it right now, but it may be a loss."

Athena took a pen out of her co-worker's breast pocket and found a blank page. She sketched what symbols she could pick out of the mess. They still looked unfamiliar.

"Whatever happened to him was alien. There's no way it's from Earth."

The doctor gaped, "But… that's impossible. We're at peace with Asgard."

"That doesn't mean we're at peace with every alien race. Thor isn't even on Earth as far as I know," Athena sighed and snapped the folder shut. "I'm going to figure this out. No one disturbs me unless there's another incident."

The colleague nodded and she threw herself back into the corridor, expecting a crowd of expectant professionals awaiting her. Instead, the hall was empty, save for the two orderlies meant to attend the victim.

"I want eyes on him 24/7. If anything changes you let me know."

**X|X|X|X|X|X**

Athena's office had a wall of windows that faced south. Observing the waters of the East River until the bend was swallowed up by the East Village and Green Point. Seeing as it was a place Athena spent a lot of time, she acquired the necessary items to make it more "homey".

A bookshelf with a few quick reads, a simple glass vase that housed fresh blooms, and a couple of rugs for texture. And for late nights, the bottom drawer of her filing cabinet hid a cozy blanket and small pillow. It was a shame she couldn't get curtains, or at least blinds, for the massive wall of windows.

Two hours later, Athena sat at the holo-table in her office with various figures hovering in the air. She narrowed down the languages. The symbols weren't Norse, Asgardian, Chitauri, Greek, Olympian, hell they weren't even cuneiform. But she knew they were part of a spell. Magic and technology didn't mix, especially old magic.

S.H.I.E.L.D's archives held no information about alien races besides the Chitauri. She wished she could take the file home and work, she had more resources there, but S.H.I.E.L.D was touchy about what information they allowed outside the walls of the Triskelion.

A few minutes passed and she found herself flipping through Agent Stone's file. Married with a child and another on the way. Employed during the battle of New York and worked on the evacuation effort. The S.H.I.E.L.D Academy scouted him because of his high standardized testing scores and brute physicality.

Someone with such a high understanding of complex problem solving and biomedical engineering wasted their talents in the field. Maybe after the incident, he would retire to the bionics department and help create new tech. If he stayed alive.

Using old magic on Earth was tricky. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. Athena had experience with a few choice cases. Like with Arachne… well, that was personal and the outcome was desirable either way.

She sighed in defeat and tossed another piece of paper onto the holo table. It passed through a cuneiform tablet on its way, causing it to shimmer and wave. Athena's chair scraped back as she stood. Maybe paying another visit to the victim would help her.

If a spell was used against this man, there would be an identifier on his body. All spells left a trace behind. Something that could be used to find either the caster of the spell or which spell it was. And that would be enough of a clue.

Agent Stone's body was serene. His chest rose up and down with the steady beep of the heart monitor and soft whoosh of the ventilator. Athena lifted his arm and checked for a brand, an insignia, anything. There was none. She checked every part of his body for something that might give her a clue as to what spell the attacker used, but her searches were futile. Only the pinkish-purple hues of the bruising. If someone was using powerful sorcery, why were there so many marks of a physical fight?

She decided that her visit was futile and got up to leave, but Agent Stone started moving. Athena turned, expecting to see him awake and incoherent. Instead, he thrashed. His wild movement shook the bed and machines around him.

Athena rushed to his side. The heart monitor picked up speed and his breathing was erratic. As Athena watched him shake, his hand seized her neck, squeezing. Agent Stone's tremors ceased and he sat straight up in the hospital bed.

"He's coming…"

In an odd state of panic, Athena clawed at her attacker's hands. He only squeezed harder. Athena's vision grew hazy then bright white as she firmly placed her hands on Agent Stone's arms. Against her own will, Athena muttered ancient words with her choked breath. Golden light surrounded her hands, creeping up Stone's arms and to his neck. His eyes reflected the gold light. His arms went slack and he fell back against the pillow.

Agent Stone's body stilled, the heart monitor returned to its regular pattern. Athena's knees collided with the floor, her hands caressing her throat. From above Agent Stone let out a hoarse whisper.

"Ares…"

The one word struck fear in Athena's heart. Her brother, God of Chaotic War, usurped her throne and tried to kill her. He knew she was alive and he was pissed. So pissed he forced a mortal to do his bidding.

Athena used the bed rail to pull herself up and look at Agent Stone. His head lolled to the side, jaw slack, eyes unseeing.

"How do you know my brother?"

No response. Ares wouldn't dignify himself with dealing with mortals. One of his henchmen would have done it. Which meant they were still in New York City and Athena alerted them to her presence.

Using her healing powers put a burst of energy into the world, like the way phones put out GPS signals. Except Athena's GPS signals were undetectable to mortals and their technology, only other Olympians. And Asgardians considering the two were closely related. It was a risk to the safety of Earth and Athena, but it was worth the risk. That man had a family that he needed to return to and Athena knew that she would have a little time before Ares came for her. And that was enough.

A gaggle of nurses rushed into the room, meaning to attend to their distressed patient, but became confused at the sight of Athena on the floor and their patient in a deep sleep.

"Doctor Pallas? Is everything okay?" one of them spoke.

The use of magic exhausted Athena. That was new. She reached her hand out as a coughing fit took hold. She looked like a mess. Strands of dark brown hair loosened from her braid, face blushed from fighting off the cursed agent.

Another nurse helped her up and into the plastic chair against the wall. Her breath was still ragged as she tried to explain what happened. She realized there was no way to explain the events.

"Just a coughing fit," she assured them as she finally caught a steady breath, "Bet you didn't know I was an asthmatic."

Athena tried to laugh it off. The nursing staff gave her uneasy smiles.

"He'll be awake soon," she warned before dismissing them and heading back to her office, hoping she could lock the door and take a nap. Hopefully, the walls were thick enough no one would hear her snoring.

She unlocked her office only to find Maria Hill sitting in the desk chair.

"You look like shit," the agent commented.

Maria Hill and Athena had entered the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy at the same time. They were sparring partners and despised each other to the bone. Athena was a natural at combat, she had the timing, strength, and stamina. Maria was slower but she had fire and Athena respected it.

One night Athena found Maria in the training room past curfew, fighting an automated bot and getting her ass kicked. Athena stepped in and offered to go easy on her when they fought. Maria made a face and told Athena to give it all she had. After giving her pointers, Maria had Athena pinned. Of course, Athena let Maria win as a confidence boost. But the two were thick as thieves afterward.

"I've got a case stranger than Roswell," Athena said.

She slumped into the leather armchair across from her desk and threw her feet up.

"Really?"

"Really."

"So I suppose that means you won't be up for a little fun tonight?"

Athena considered it for a minute. She had an odd case that she was desperate to solve, was just attacked by a patient with a connection to the brother trying to murder her, and was exhausted from her use of magic.

"That depends on what you have planned?"

"I'm having dinner with this really nice guy I met in alien research and he's got a friend, so I said that I'd bring a friend for his friend and I was hoping that you would be the friend for the friend," she rambled.

Athena blinked. A double date? With some random guy? Was Athena really that desperate to get away from work? If she did go home it would probably be another History channel night. Nothing but Athena, a bottle of wine, and incorrect documentaries about ancient history. And that would spiral into Athena returning to the case and staying up until the wee hours of the morning in the depths of mania.

"Is his friend nice?"

"He's from communications technology. Jason told me he was a really nice guy. Just got out of a committed relationship so he's not looking for anything. This is a one-time thing and I'll never ask you for anything this important ever again. Just … please?"

Athena chewed her lip and stared out the window. Rain streaked down the spotless glass, and the cloudy sky gave no clue as to where the sun was. Only grey and rainy.

"Is he hot though?"

Athena had always been a little shallow in her lovers. She was used to being surrounded by people with perfect features and it showed in her pickiness. It also showed in the fact that she was still single despite working in a hotspot of men looking for something to fill the void.

"Christ Ana, I don't know! Will you just do this for me?"

"If he's ugly, you'll never hear the end of it."

"I figured as much. So you'll do it?"

"You've worn me down."

Maria burst into a flurry of 'thank you's before she hurried out of the office. Athena would have to stop at home to grab suitable clothes for a date. She doubted sweatpants and athletic trainers were allowed through the doors of the fancy restaurant Maria named. At least her evening still involved wine and good food.

She did feel bad for abandoning the case, but she was too tired to fall into a manic episode and stay up all night researching ancient languages. Agent Stone and Ares would have to wait until tomorrow morning.


	3. Steve-Interrupted

Stark Tower was a huge building that quite literally towered over Midtown. With its reflective glass exterior and the name "Stark" hung across it, it was the perfect place to house a gaggle of huge egos and still have enough space for Tony Stark himself. The penthouse boasted enough guest rooms for each member of the Avengers should they require them and it was beginning to earn itself the reputation of the team's official hangout spot.

So that was where Steve Rogers found himself that evening, sitting on a leather sofa in the main room and slaving over the smartphone Tony gave him. After seventy years on ice, he found himself in an age of innovation. And he thought the forties were full of technological advancement. Suffice to say he was having a hard time adjusting to the new way of life he was thrown into. His teammates were more than happy to help, but he hated asking for help and couldn't help feeling like he bothered them when he didn't grasp the concept right away.

Steve squinted and tried to read the message on the screen. He gave up and discarded the phone on the end table. The only thing he cared to know about the new phone was how to answer a call, he didn't care about social media and texting. Soft footsteps alerted him to a new presence in the room. Wanda Maximoff stood above him, dressed in grey pajamas.

Wanda joined the Avengers after the events of New York. She escaped from a human testing facility during the battle. She had a brother but the two were separated during the commotion. Wanda was a mutant, at least that's what Fury called her. She could sense consciousness, emotions, and move objects with nothing but her powers.

"You feel … conflicted," she stated.

English wasn't Wanda's first language and she hated speaking for too long in it, always self-conscious about her accent. If she had to talk for long, it was always in her native Sokovian. The team made an effort to learn a few words here and there.

"I often feel the same way, but for very different reasons. If you would ever like to talk about it, I am here to listen," Wanda explained as she down next to Steve, her hands smoothing over the leather.

There was silence between the two. It was a comfortable silence shared between friends. Steve liked having Wanda around. He didn't have to explain his feelings and Wanda could just sit there and know how he felt. For the siblingless Rogers, Wanda was a close to a little sister as he could get. But bringing up siblings around Wanda was sensitive. According to Natasha Romanoff, an ex-Russian assassin who spent the most time with Wanda, the young woman talked in her sleep about her brother. From Wanda's late-night mumblings, which were in Sokovian, the Avengers learned her brother's name was Pietro and he was Wanda's greatest protector.

Their silence was interrupted by Clint Barton trotting through the room, "Did you hear about the ambushed agent?"

Steve shook his head.

"Well, we've got a briefing about it in five," Clint called as he headed toward the conference room on the other side of the penthouse.

They were all there in less than two minutes. Tony Stark, the billionaire-playboy-philanthropist and the Iron Man, lounged in one of the swivel chairs that surrounded the long holo table. Thor, Norse god of thunder with a voice to match, sat with his arms crossed and chin inclined. Even though Thor was taller than tall the Avengers, he still kept his king-like posture.

Natasha Romanoff sat next to Clint Barton, the agent and master archer who had yet to miss a shot. The only person not there was Doctor Bruce Banner. After the New York incident, Doctor Banner went back into "retirement" to deal with the stress.

Director Fury stood at the front of the room in his usual all-black attire and eyepatch, commanding demeanor on display.

"As I'm sure Agent Barton has informed you, an agent was attacked an hour ago. He was found at a patrol point unresponsive. When the medics attempted to move him, he started convulsing. Before the attack, he had a clean bill of health. There was no sign of struggle. However upsetting or alarming this attack may be, it's not the first of its kind," Fury began, raising the hand that he had placed on the table.

A picture on a hardwood floor appeared, the eyes closed. A close up of the victim's neck showed a set of unidentifiable marks.

"For the past few years, we've had a little problem with someone murdering field agents. Starting in 1986 with the murder of Agent Pavlov. He was found in his apartment with that set of marks behind his ear. His cause of death appeared to be suffocation with high oxytocin levels."

The picture of Agent Pavlov slid away with a swipe of Fury's hand. A picture of a woman replaced it, accompanied by an inset of a pair of lungs filled with water.

"1990, Agent Fasotti was found in an alley between two housing developments in Mott Haven, drowned. No sign of struggle, not even a drop of water found outside the body. Her blood test showed high levels of oxytocin and the same set of marks," Fury explained.

"What do you mean, 'outside the body'. If she drowned where was the water?" Tony ventured.

Fury looked like a dark cloud over the head of the table. His hands set on the table, shoulders hunching. Fury's stance made him seem like an evil villain getting ready to launch his plan for world domination.

"Her lungs were so full of water that when the coroner cut into them, it spewed out like a Venetian fountain show," Fury answered, a slight venom tinging his voice.

"Oo, I love a good fountain show," Tony stated.

Steve rolled his eyes. Typical Tony, he couldn't take a situation seriously to save his life. Not even when the world was at stake. Then again, Tony laughed in the face of death more than once.

"1996, Agent Jackson, triple stab wound, no sign of struggle, high oxytocin levels, and the same set of marks. 2001, Agent Fosley, single golden arrow to the heart, no sign of struggle, high oxytocin levels, and the same set of marks. And now, Agent Stone," Fury finished.

The holo in front of him switched back to the rotating Avengers logo, which spun like a very slow top. It flashed the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo at certain points. Tony hadn't been a fan of that intrusion. But the government financed the Avengers so far, so he simply grumbled about it from time to time.

"The murder from 1996 is the best lead we have. Animations of the would show resemblance to a trident."

Murmurs rose from the table. Who used tridents as weapons? They were too bulky and unbalanced.

"I have reason to believe that it may be one of your cousins, Thor," announced Fury.

"We Asgardians haven't spoken to our Olympian relatives in centuries, but I shall see what I can find." Thor's loud voice boomed in the small room.

He always had trouble with the concept of an 'inside voice'. Steve assumed that Asgard was a naturally loud place.

"As for the rest of you, we're leaving for Greece for research. Be ready to leave first thing in the morning," Fury ordered before leaving.

An awkward silence hovered over the conference room. There were more questions, but Director Fury hadn't stayed behind to let the Avengers ask them.

"Doesn't he have some lower-level agents that can do this research for him? We're the Avengers, Shield points, we shoot," Tony complained.

"At least it's something to do," Nat stated, "We haven't had a good mission since Bora Bora."

She spoke directly to Clint, nudging him with her elbow and smiling. Steve knew that there was something between the pair, it was only slightly obvious. The way that they always sat near each other, the way Clint looked at Natasha when she wasn't looking. Steve wished he could have a connection like that. He'd gotten close with Peggy Carter until his duty to the world became greater than Steve's sense of self.

The conversation continued around Steve, it sounded like a hum in the background of his thoughts.

"Steve?" Tony asked, his eyebrows raised in question.

"Huh?"

"Italian, for dinner?"

"Sounds great," Steve answered, "Actually, I think I'll head out. See you all tomorrow."

He muttered a quick excuse before leaving the room.

"What's gotten into him," Steve heard Tony mutter.

Before he could reach the door, Wanda stopped him.

"Are you okay?"

"I think we both know the answer to that."

She tucked her dark hair behind an ear and her arms over her chest, "How can we help?"

"We?"

"We all care for you, Steve. Whatever it is, you can tell us."

"I'm sorry Wanda, but I think this is something I'd rather keep to myself."

She nodded, "When you're ready, we'll talk, right?"

Steve nodded in response and she stepped out of the way, retreating to the room full of super-egos.

He appreciated that they all cared for him and were trying to be supportive of him in such a trying time. But there was no way any of them could understand missing seventy years of your life. There was nobody in the world with that problem.

What Steve needed most was fresh air. He donned the usual baseball cap before he left the tower to circle the block a couple of times, keeping his head down. Despite his attempt at a disguise, Steve felt like someone would realize that one of Earth's mightiest heroes circled the block about twenty times.

New York sure had modernized. Steve couldn't remember the buildings on that block being so monolithic. He was about to circle again, but a shiver down his spine awoke the instinct that someone was following him. And Steve always trusted his intuition.

He crossed the busy Park Avenue and walked a few more feet, but he still couldn't shake the feeling. He took a deep breath, readying himself for whatever awaited him, and turned into an alley. It was dark and smelled of garbage. Whatever happened in the alley would likely go unnoticed by the hordes of people strolling by.

Steve heard footsteps, accented by sharp clicks. _Women's heels_? He turned to face his assailant. A woman draped in white fabric greeted him, a set of scales dangling from one of her hands. Before Steve could react, she gripped his bicep and stared into his eyes. Her glare was so intense he felt petrified by it. Golden light radiated from them and surrounded her body. With a flash, she was gone.

And so was the alley.

Through the darkness, strains of a brass band floated. Whispering in his ears like memories lost long ago. A set of lights turned on, then another, and another, until the darkness faded away and gave way to a hazy dance hall. Decorations of red, white, and blue hung around him. People stood around, wearing sport jackets and military uniforms. Their conversations mingled with the big band to create an overwhelming symphony.

A few women flirted with the men, wearing their dancing shoes and nice dresses. Steve's eyes scanned the room, looking for the one dame he wished would be there. He couldn't find her. As usual, it seemed she escaped his grasp.

A commotion at the other end of the room caught his attention. A group of men parted and gave way to a beautiful vision. Curve hugging red dress, elbow-length white gloves, chestnut curls, and beautiful brown eyes. A mysterious smirk outlined in red. The one and only, vicious and vivacious, Peggy Carter.

He uttered her name as though he was seeing God with his own two eyes.

"Steve," she stated, her accent giving her words an air of righteousness.

She presented her arm, wrist dead. She looked from her outstretched arm to Steve, arching a brow.

"Well, aren't you going to ask me to dance?"

Steve looked around. Couples materialized on the dance floor with them. The band was starting up a song, something slow. He took Peggy's hand. This was the chance. Time to claim the dance he promised Peggy before he crashed Red Skull's plane into the ice.

Steve's head was clouded, the haze in the room not helping. He glanced around as he held Peggy close.

"Is everything alright?"

Steve looked at the gorgeous woman wrapped in his arms. Nothing could be wrong with her so near. He missed her so much. The way she laughed and smiled and said his name, he missed it all. As the song faded out, Steve realized he was going to miss his second chance to do something he never got to do.

He leaned in close, tilting Peggy's chin up and looking deep into her eyes.

But a dull ache in Steve's stomach stopped him from getting what he wanted. Another ache brought intense pressure in his chest. He found himself short of breath and pushed Peggy away. It burned worse than being shot and he could feel his body fighting to heal it. But it wasn't working.

The pain brought back memories of the day of his transformation. The agony was so great, a little part of him wanted to stop. The horrible process wasn't worth what he'd become. But he knew he needed to carry on. He wanted to fight and if surviving a German scientist's crazy experiment was the only way to do it, he was going to persevere, damnit.

Applying that logic was harder than it seemed when Steve was so disoriented he had no clue where he was. Or what was causing the hallucination.

"Steve? Are you okay?" Peggy asked again.

_Is this what death feels like? Am I going to die?_

"My God, Steve, you're bleeding!"

He pulled his hand away from his abdomen. His palm was red, coated in his blood. The hazy scene around him disappeared, casting him in the darkness again. But Peggy remained, at least, the shape of her did.

Her frame was draped in pure white instead of her brash red dress. A set of golden scales dangled from her hand. And her face was different.

The softness was gone, replaced by hard, judging angles. Her tamed chestnut curls were darker, wilder. Her warm, brown eyes turned grey and cold. She was intimidating, yet alluring.

"Your heart beats strong but your soul weighs heavy with all that you've lost. Your war comrades, your mother and father, the only woman you ever loved, the only family you ever had."

Images, glowing like projections on an old movie screen, drifted past. The Howling Commandos. His mother. Peggy. Bucky …

"You don't belong here. You're a relic from a bygone era."

Steve's pain grew more intense. He groaned and gasped. He couldn't hold himself up and writhed in the cold, damp ground.

"You ended your life so theirs could continue. So, why are you here?"

"I don't know."

Steve stumbled away from the apparition, "I don't know."

The woman leered at him. With nowhere to go, Steve shrunk away from her terrifying gaze. Something changed in her eyes. Recognition? No, realization. And terror. What did this woman want with him?

"You serve a greater purpose."

"What?"

Images flew before Steve's eyes, changing so fast he wasn't sure he could make out what they were. A jungle, a field of dead soldiers, a man in golden armor. He didn't know what they meant, nor was he sure he would remember them.

_I'm dreaming_. He had to be. There was no explanation for it. He was worried about his place in the modern world and so his subconscious was taking it out in odd hallucinations. He pressed his hand to the wound on his chest, trying to use the pain to bring him back to reality. Then he could find help.

"Your fate was written in the stars long before you were born. You fight for those who can't, you stand up for the values that you were built upon. Freedom. Justice. There will come a great war and you are the key to winning. You will save the world. No, you will save the universe."

The scales in her hand tipped back and forth wildly, so fast Steve had no idea how she kept them in her hand. A wind whipped around them, from where Steve couldn't tell.

She knelt and brought her face impossibly close to his, "I've helped you find your purpose. Don't lose sight of it."

She disappeared like dust in the wild wind she conjured. Leaving Steve to succumb to his wounds in the darkness.


	4. A Date With Destiny

The restaurant that Maria chose was an extravagant Italian place not too far from the famous Avengers Tower. _La Gondola di Venezia_. The whole place was decorated in gold and marble, with frescoed ceilings, pseudo-Renaissance paintings, and Tuscan columns. Despite it's gaudiness, The Gondola offered a warm reprieve from the bitter wind and rain outside.

The menu promised delicacies of Venice and wines imported from the coastal city. Yet, none of them aged well enough to be worth the price point. The same applied to the cheese board placed in front of her several minutes ago. The goddess was no expert in fine cheeses, she left that duty to Dionysus, but she knew a proper imported Italian cheese from a cheap knock off from Whole Foods.

Maria and Jason sat at the table in front of Athena and her date, Michael, which made contact between the two friends hard. The only thing Maria told Athena was that he worked in technical communications. She failed to mention how he looked eerily similar to Adonis, who Athena had a short fling with back before Aphrodite grew attached. It was Athena who introduced the two when she grew bored and was desperate to be free of him.

No matter how many times Athena squinted her eyes and tilted her head, she still could not find a single way to make him look any less like her ancient ex. And the worst part was he took her squints and head tilts as confusion, so he kept prattling on about useless things. The waitress took the menus, so Athena took to setting her gaze on the ceiling, the walls, or taking long sips of her wine to avoid eye contact. Which wasn't strong enough to get her anywhere near buzzed.

Athena regretted going home to change her clothes. It was a waste of gas, time, energy, and a new white designer mini dress and louboutin heels.

"You see, the trick to getting a perfect pitch is to have the communicator on first, and while that is happening you twist the peacock colored wire until the static is completely phased out. _Then_-"

_Oh my queen mother_. Athena took another sip of her wine. Her sip turned into several gulps as he diverged from static to the reasoning behind colored wires. It was like a drinking game. Rule 1: Drink anytime Michael spoke, continue drinking until he finished or your glass was empty. She looked at her empty glass with disdain. A great yawn escaped her. Athena hadn't seen the waitress in a while and she needed two more bottles of wine.

And then the date took a turn from bad to much worse.

"You know, I don't go out very much, but you have to be one of the most attractive women I have ever been set up with." he complimented.

Make that _three_ more bottles of wine. Athena contemplated asking one of the passing wait staff to hit her over the head with a serving tray.

"Oh, please."

She played nice and instead of an eye roll, she tucked her hair behind her ear. Someone had to pay the tab and Athena didn't want to. She gave the back of her chandelier earring a push and let it fall. The large piece clattered when it hit the imitation marble flooring.

"Oh my gosh I am so sorry, I am just the klutziest person." Athena babbled.

"Here, let me get it." Michael offered and ducked under the table to retrieve her jewelry.

Before he came back up, Athena gave Maria a desperate look, but the poor girl was so engrossed in her date's story she failed to see her friend in need. How much longer did Maria expect her to sit through the date from Hades?

Michael handed her the earring and she put it back into her ear, smiling with faux gratefulness. _Father give me an excuse to end this date. Please? For your favorite child?_

No reply.

"Have you ever thought about modeling? It seems like a far more fitting profession for you."

Athena reached for a bottle of wine from a passing waitress and, while pouring her wine, stated, "And what did Maria tell you I do?"

Michael smiled, "She didn't have to. You're the second-highest rated doctor in New York, right behind Doctor Strange of course. But you're far too pretty to spend your life in an operating room.

"Thank you for what I think was supposed to be a compliment, but I didn't spend half my life preparing to enter the medical field to be told that modeling would be a more suitable job for me."

She took another long drink of her wine.

"I just thought…"

"Oh no, I understood what you said. You thought that I would blindly accept the words that just came out of your mouth as a compliment."

Michael tried to defend himself, sputtering over whatever excuse he thought would save himself. Athena rolled her eyes and took another drink. Rule 2: Drink until you can't feel anything anymore. Another yawn. Athena felt the weight of her eyelids. If this date took any longer she was like to fall asleep before the entrees arrived. Another yawn.

She could hide in the ladies room. Fancy places like _La Gondola di Venezia_ had to have elaborate powder rooms, the kind that Marilyn Monroe sat and fixed her makeup at in those old movies. The blonde bombshell had to have avoided a few dates in her time.

A shiver raced up Athena's spine, the hair on her neck and arms standing. Something was wrong. The last time she had a sensation, a war broke out. She analyzed her surroundings with the critical eye that every warrior possesed.

The restaurant patrons were all dining, chatting as though nothing was wrong. Maria looked safe and there were no strange noises coming from the kitchen. The threat had to be in the street.

She pushed her chair back and headed for the doors of the restaurant.

"Is everything okay?" Michael asked.

He reached out and grabbed on to her arm, trying to persuade her back to the table while begging forgiveness for what he said but Athena persisted on. Maria followed her out the door and into the bustling crowds of late night tourists.

"Hello, Ana, are you okay?" her friend called.

The cold night air chilled her as her eyes scanned the passing faces. She didn't grab her coat she realized. The autumn rain dampened her hair and exposed arms. A burst of light shimmered between two buildings before disappearing.

"Ana what the hell is going on?"

Athena pushed past people, forging through the traffic and into the alley, where a body sat propped against the dumpster. Shirt drenched in blood, soaked from the rain, unconscious. Just the victim of a mugging. So why did her senses perk up like that?

She approached with caution, in case the attacker lingered. Despite the rain, Athena recalled the blonde hair and handsome features of Steve Rogers. His picture was a common appearance in textbooks when Athena studied super human biochemistry. But that wasn't the only place Athena noticed Steve from.

To the other agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, and Athena, Captain America was a legend. A mythical creature that did miraculous things but was never seen. Like the heroes she watched when she commanded battles from the heavens. Captain America was as good as any Achilles, Perseus, or Heracles. In fact, he was better. He wasn't petty and he cared about the good of the people instead of his pride. Men like him were a rarity.

Athena knelt, the loose gravel pressing into her knees, and pressed her fingers to Steve's neck to feel his pulse. It was faint but present, it was hope.

Blood drenched his shirt and made it impossible to see where it originated from. Athena had no choice but to rip his shirt open.

There were three wounds. One on his heart, one below his sternum, and one near his liver. Black market? No, she encountered the work of black market scavengers before. They slit throats or used lethal injections after they kidnapped their victims, a scavenger wouldn't leave anything behind.

Even more interesting was the fact that Captain America, one of the fiercest warriors in the whole world, allowed an attacker to harm in that way. The wounds would have been life-threatening on someone else, but not Steve Rogers.

Athena tore clean pieces of Steve's shirt and used them to clear the blood away from the wounds to get a better look. The wounds didn't repair themselves as they should have and they were odd shaped. It was more efficient to use her healing powers, but she couldn't in front of people. And the events of the day exhausted her, another use and she would be lucky if she didn't wake up in her own medical wing.

She looked at Maria. Athena's coat was slung over her arm, her clutch tucked in Maria's elbow. Inside the small purse was Athena's emergency sewing kit. She never left the house unprepared and sewing utensils worked in place of medical grade instruments if one was desperate enough.

"Maria, my purse."

Slipping into full surgeon mode, Athena opened her purse and grabbed her travel size bottle of hand sanitizer and sewing kit.

"Fury's sending a vehicle. Is there anything I can do?" Maria asked.

"Thread these needles. I know it's not medical grade, but it's the best I can do on short notice."

Athena rinsed her hands with sanitizer and doused a piece of the shirt with it. She wiped over the wounds and held out her hand to request a needle from Maria.

"I need you to hold the two sides together, but keep your hands away from the open wound."

Maria did as told, her hands as steady as Athena's. With careful strokes, Athena closed the heart wound and placed a strip of clean tee-shirt over it before she moved on to the other two. Her rain slicked hands made the work hard, but she soldiered on, wiping her free hand on her coat to dry it between stitches. It wasn't the worst conditions she'd ever worked under. She was at ground zero on 9/11. There wasn't rain, but it was the most stressful work she'd ever done.

By the time the S.H.I.E.L.D emergency vehicle arrived, Athena had all her temporary stitches done. Blood stained her hands, legs, and dress. If no one knew better, they would think Athena committed the attack herself.

The medics hopped out of the back and loaded Steve onto a stretcher. One of them offered Athena a blanket and something to wipe her hands with.

"Be careful. He's lost a lot of blood and he isn't healing properly. Those stitches are weak and he'll need to be in the OR ASAP."

Director Nick Fury stepped down from a separate SUV flanked by two other agents. His imposing stature and clothing only more so in the dim light of the alley way.

"Did anyone see him?" Fury demanded.

"We're not sure. Whatever attacked him did it quick and discreet." Athena explained.

"I'm still not sure how Ana knew he was out here."

"That doesn't matter, what does is figuring out who the hell is attacking my employees. In the meantime, you two get back to the Triskelion."

Fury grumbled he turned to the two agents beside him and started barking orders. One of them handed Athena a clipboard with paperwork for her to fill out.

"So, do you think what's-his-name is gonna want to see you again?" Athena asked Maria as they climbed into the back of the vehicle.

"I'm sure I have a lot of apologizing to do."

"Just tell him it was important, top-secret agent stuff you had to do for Fury. I'm sure he'll understand."

Maria scoffed, "What did you think of Michael?"

"I think it would have been great if he stopped trying to explain everything to me like I was a child."

Maria chuckled, her shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.

"I'm sorry, by the way," Athena offered.

Athena eyed her friend. Maria was a master at hiding her inner feelings, so Athena had to tread with care around her.

"There's nothing to be sorry for. This was way more important than some date."

"But you were having fun and enjoying yourself. You deserve to have a without work getting in the way."

"When your job is protecting the people, it comes before anything else."

Athena nodded. She had a lot of experience in protecting people. But the people she needed to protect were in danger and there was nothing she could do.

Athena settled into her desk chair as Director Fury and his guest took a seat. She abandoned her blood stained mini dress, heels, and jewelry for borrowed scrubs and shoes. The medical coat that hung over her shoulders wasn't even her own. Fury had come to collect her report on Captain America and Agent Stone. He was going to leave empty handed.

She slid two pieces of paper across the holo table. Then sat back and watched for Fury's reaction.

"Is this a joke?"

"You know that is exactly what I said when I first saw those results. Now we're down _two_ spectrophotometers. However, we were able to retest Agent Stone with a fresh sample before machine number two went down. The only outstanding thing is the oxytocin levels. They're high and adrenaline is low. Adrenaline should be much higher considering there's evidence of a physical fight."

Fury had a look of focus on his face. He reached into the bag that he carried and took out a stack of files. The folders looked older. When he placed them on the holo screen, Athena read the date on the top. _1986_. The year of her fall and subsequent residence of Earth.

She looked at the following dates. _1990, 1996, 2001_. The dates were inconsistent and the most recent was 2001. Why were they relevant to an incident eleven years later?

"I've got the avengers focused on fighting an unseen threat that appears to be connected with your Agent Stone. These files will be able to give you more information. I think you'll be a valuable asset to this investigation."

"Thank you, Director Fury, but there's a reason I don't do field work anymore."

Director Fury considered her for a moment, his good eye sizing her up. His eye telling her- _What happened to the big bad goddess who wanted to help people?_

"You take a look at those cases and let me know if you reconsider. Now, for the real reason, I'm here. Miss Maximoff would like to talk to you, I'll wait outside."

Fury left the office, leaving the annoyed Athena to listen to Wanda's story.

Wanda Maximoff was a scared child when Athena first met her. She turned up at the Triskelion after New York claiming she escaped from an illegal testing facility and was looking for her brother Pierto. They lost each other in the commotion of the raid. Fury wasn't too happy to have another orphaned superhero to look after.

If the Avengers hadn't already stepped in, Athena would have. She had two empty bedrooms to occupy.

"You were the one who found him."

Athena nodded.

"Thank you. Steve and I have a very strong bond… our empathic connection is stronger. It is like a telepathic link."

Wanda was from Sokovia, proved by her accent. Human traffickers took her and Pierto when they were young and sold them to the testing facility that was later raided. Her empathic powers were a result of testing with dangerous sorcery.

"We- the Avengers- were getting ready to go out and eat, but we could not find Steve. He left after our meeting with Director Fury, but he never told us where he was going. That was when I felt it."

Her brows knit together, not in confusion, but in difficulty.

"It was this pain, dull at first, and then it grew. I realized that it must have been Steve and I could feel where he was. And then the visions started."

"Do you remember them," Athena asked.

If the attack was from the same predator that hurt Agent Stone the visions might have something to do with Ares.

"They came to me in pieces, very blurry pieces, but I think I can remember them."

Her brows furrowed again, "A woman in a red dress. Steve knew her, they had a strong connection. He was at peace. Almost as if he were… as if he were…"

"Blissful?"

Wanda nodded. The elevated oxytocin and decreased adrenaline in Agent Stone would have numbed any outside feeling. Like an intense drug trip.

"Then there was a pain. The room, darkness, but the woman is there. So, very, painful."

She gritted her teeth but continued on, red light pulsed around her hands that gripped the arms of the chair. Her eyes forced to shut as she tried to recall the visions. Her dark hair fell into her eyes. Wanda's eyes glowed red, powerful evidence of the effort it took for her to fight her way through it.

"Wanda if it's too much, you don't-"

"No, I must. There… there was something else there. Something… like scales, gold scales. The kind used to weigh. The woman, she's wearing white now and she's speaking… 'Your heart beats strong but your soul weighs heavy with all that you have lost'."

The vision released its grip on the young woman. Her eyes shot open and her hands released the arms of the chair, the red energy that surrounded her hands disappeared. Her tensed shoulders relaxed and she gasped. Athena let her catch her breath.

"Did I help?"

"Very much. Thank you for speaking with me, Wanda."

"Of course."

As Fury and Wanda left, Athena sighed and looked at her watch. 10:33. Athena thought she was going to be able to sleep, but it looked like she was in for another all-night, mania fueled deep dive. But instead of new information to go on, she only had more questions.

White dress, golden scales. _Your heart beats strong but your soul weighs heavy with all that you've lost_. Heart. Soul. Golden scales. Passion and balance. More questions, less answers.


	5. Awakening

Steve floated through the dark, numb. Images flashed across his disoriented vision like lightning in a storm. Peggy. A woman in white. Golden scales. Blood. Strands of a brass band whispered in his ears. The darkness shifted and Steve was back in the dance hall. Peggy wrapped in his arms.

"Peggy," Steve whispered.

"Steve."

The pain came back, in the same places. Duller than before but still painful enough that his mind couldn't stop thinking about it.

"Steve? Are you okay?" Peggy asked.

_I'm dying again. How many times is this?_

"My God, Steve you're bleeding!"

There was his red palm and the dance hall was gone, he was in the darkness again. He wasn't sure how many times he experienced the illusion, but he was beginning to memorize the sequence. First Peggy, now the pain and blood, next came the mysterious woman with the hard face and all-seeing eyes.

There was a golden flash and there she stood. The golden scales glinted at him, taunting Steve with the promise of light. But there was only darkness and his ever escaping mind.

"Your heart beats strong but your soul weighs heavy with all that you've lost. Your war comrades, your mother and father, the only woman you ever loved, the only family you ever had."

Images, glowing like projections on an old movie screen, drifted past. The Howling Commandos. His Mother. Peggy. Bucky…

"You don't belong here. You're a relic from a bygone era. You ended your life so theirs could continue. So, why are you here?"

"You told me… "

"Yes, I did."

"But I can't remember."

She held her scales out to him, Steve saw himself in the reflection. _The jungle_. _The field of dead soldiers_. _The man in gold armor_. The same three images every time and yet he was still unsure of their consequence.

"I serve a greater purpose."

The woman nodded, her face still grim. The wind around them gusted, howling in his ears and distracting him.

"My fate is written in the stars. I fight for those who can't and I stand for the values I was built upon. Freedom and justice."

"And what else?" she encouraged him.

The wind grew stronger still. In previous encounters, he tried to question the woman. Ask her who she was and where she was from, but she pressured him to answer _her_ questions. He gave in.

"There will come a great war that I am the key to winning. I will save the universe."

"You have done well Steven. You've found your purpose, now don't lose sight of it."

A swirl of gold dust surrounded the woman and she evaporated, her golden scales clattering to the ground. The sound reverberating in Steve's ears and shocked him awake. His chest inflated with intense pain, he winced.

Fluorescent light berated his sensitive eyes. The smell of bleach burned his nose, a light fragrance dancing overtop. Earthy and floral. Sterile grey walls and a tiled ceiling. Mechanical beeps and muffled voices. A melodic humming.

A woman stood with her back to Steve, in a white lab coat. Her dark hair in a long braid down her back. She turned around. If she was surprised that Steve was awake, she didn't show it. She simply sat down beside the bed and picked up the clipboard.

Her face brought back the woman from the visions. The same sharp angles and grey eyes. Except the wild curls were tamed into a braid with a few errant curls escaping around her face. There was something restless about her.

"Good morning, Mr. Rogers. I'm Doctor Ana Pallas. You're at the Triskelion, safe and sound. If you don't mind uncovering your torso so I can change your gauze."

Steve felt his face grow hot. He glanced at his hands, then back at Ana as she wrote on her clipboard. Her attention was elsewhere. God, after ninety-four years, he was still nervous around women. He knew he shouldn't be, the serum was a huge help in that department, but something in the back of his mind brought out his timidity.

He swallowed down the insecurity and pushed himself up on his elbows. A dull ache spread through his torso, Steve grumbled at the discomfort. He eased the hospital gown off his sore shoulders and saw the bandages on his chest. They were large, the wounds under them itch as they healed. An added bonus to being a super soldier, Steve healed at a much faster rate than other humans. Images raced through his mind at the sight of his wounds. Golden light. His blood covered hand. His pain and confusion.

"Captain Rogers?"

Steve glanced at the doctor.

"Are you alright?"

"Sorry. I, uh, got lost in thought," Steve sputtered. Words always escaped him when he needed them most.

Ana raised an eyebrow. Whether she was judging the truth of his lie, Steve couldn't tell. The doctor only sighed and pulled on a pair of medical gloves.

"The Avengers? Have they left yet?"

"I believe they're waiting on you, Captain. Now, I'm sure you're dying to know how many injuries you've managed to rack up. This one-" Ana peeled the gauze off a sewn up gash and pointed- "punctured your lung, if the blade had been any longer, it would've pierced your heart."

The stitches over the heart created an unknown shape. It looked like the letter "T", with two large end caps on the top line. Ana paused, a death grip on the gauze.

"Is everything alright?"

Ana shook her head, "I wish I could say yes."

That was never a good sign. She reached for a file and pulled out a page. Steve's confusion grew as Ana took the gauze off his last two wounds. They were shaped weird as well.

"What are they?"

"They're symbols." she reached for one of the files at the end of the bed, "Ancient, if I'm not mistaken, and the same ones that cover your paperwork."

Sure enough, the paper she showed him was covered in the symbols.

"If you think that's weird, check out this one."

She handed him another piece of paper. The symbols overlapped so much that it was hard to make them out. The page was nearly black.

"Where are these from?"

"They're bloodwork results. Yours is the one with significantly less obstruction."

Steve watched as Ana took the blank notepad from the bedside table and sketched out the symbols.

"Who found me?"

She didn't look up from her sketching as she responded, "Agent Hill and I were in the area. And you're lucky we did. I imagine you would've been quite the spectacle in an ordinary emergency room."

"I'm sure I would've."

Ana opened her mouth to say something when her pager beeped. She looked down at it and groaned.

"I'll be right back," she apologized as she hurried from the room.

Steve looked at the two pieces of paper then the files at the end of the bed. The names on the tabs were familiar. Fosley, Jackson, Fasotti, Pavlov. Why did she have files for a case the Avengers were working on? Well, she was a doctor. Maybe Fury asked for her professional opinion on them. But most of the medical language was translated into general terms before being stored.

Ana returned soon enough.

"Sorry about that. Some intern forgot how to administer and IV. That patient is going to have one sore arm," she joked, resuming her position on the chair.

She put a new pair of latex gloves on and picked up the gauze.

"Please don't tell anyone that I left these open. The staff will have a fit."

"Your secret is safe with me," he chuckled.

"Thank you. I'm always harping on them about sterilization. Not that it matters for you, these wounds will be healed in another twelve hours at least."

"What makes you so sure?"

"The fact that I wrote my senior thesis on Superhuman biology. Well, cellular regeneration rates in biologically advanced individuals depending on the severity of laceration. But superhuman biology sounds much cooler."

She secured the last piece of gauze and sat up to admire her work.

"Those files?" Steve motioned to the stack.

"Fury put me on investigating them. They're all related to the attack on Agent Stone. And you."

"He's got the Avengers on the case too. We don't know why. Normally Shield points and the Avengers shoot. It makes more sense for you to be involved than us."

"I'm not a field agent. At least, not anymore. But Fury still finds ways to drag me in. There's got to be some sort of rule against that."

"I don't think Fury cares much for rules."

The thought of Director Fury following rules brought a smirk to Steve's face. Ana shared his smile.

"I suppose you're right." she handed Steve a file, "Since we're both stuck here, you might as well help me."

It was Pavlov's from 1986. Suffocated, but with the odd set of glyphs behind the ear. Steve looked at the inset, then at Ana's sketches.

"Aren't these the same symbols?"

Ana rolled her stool closer and peered at the photo. She took her file and held it up. Her victim had the same symbols.

"They are, just in different places. And those."

The set of three marks were similar, but there was a fourth that was different. On Steve's, it was two curved lines with a straight through them. One Ana's, it was two parallel waving lines.

"What are they?"

"They're Zodiac signs. Pisces and Aquarius."

She grabbed the other three files and looked, mumbling to herself. She laid them across Steve's legs in order.

"Capricorn, Sagittarius, Scorpio… you would be Libra."

"Do you mind translating?"

"Oh, sorry. Pisces is fish, Aquarius is the water bearer, Capricorn is the sea-goat, Sagittarius is the archer, Scorpio is the scorpion, and Libra is the scales."

Steve just blinked. He had no clue what all of those meant, nor how it was relevant to the case.

"The zodiac is twelve signs that coincide with constellations in a circle around the Earth. It's a very complicated pseudo-science."

"How do you know so much about it?"

"I'm a Libra. And my niece Brittany is really into it, makes family get-togethers interesting."

_Right_. Yet another thing about the 21st century Steve couldn't wrap his head around.

"It makes sense. The golden scales."

A vision of the golden scales glinting at him from the mysterious woman's hand formed in his mind. How did Ana know about the visions? He could ask her, but he feared the answer. She could've been the very woman in his hallucinations.

"What about the other marks, the ones that every victim has?" he asked instead.

"Those are older than the Zodiac themselves. But I think I might have a reliable source we could talk to."

"We?"

"Of course." Ana started closing the files and restacking them.

Steve was still confused. He was still healing. Was leaving the medical wing a good idea?

"If it wasn't abundantly clear already, I'm breaking you out."

"But, you said I've still got a few hours before I'm fully healed."

'That's just a rough estimate. I'm a medical professional, I wouldn't do something like this if I knew it affected your body in a negative way."

She tucked the files into a bag and stood, looking at Steve with anticipation.

"Okay… but what about this." He gestured toward the IV bag attached to his arm.

"Right," Ana realized.

She set her bag down and set to work removing his IV and placing a bandage in the crook of his elbow. Steve re-tied the hospital gown and remembered that his street clothes were in the garbage. He was about to point it out to Ana, but she was already leading him down the hall and through a door marked "Medical Staff Only".

It was a locker room. Ana unlocked one of the cubes and took out a duffel bag and handed it to him.

"I'm always prepared. Men's scrubs and I snagged your tennis shoes from personal effects."

She disappeared behind a row of lockers leaving Steve to change.

Steve was so used to entering or leaving the Triskelion through the aircraft hangar that he never thought about the other was Roosevelt Island was accessible by. And he certainly never imagined that he would be seated on the employee only ferry from the Triskelion to the employee only parking on the river bank.

Roosevelt Island was no longer open to the public because of the Triskelion. They tried to leave the north side open in the 80s when it was first constructed. Then some civilians got too close during an experimental flight test and it had to be shut down. Now S.H.I.E.L.D. used the north side for Academy training.

The sky was still overcast like yesterday, the wind still bitter. Ana helped Steve into the company issued vehicle so he wouldn't rip his stitches, even though she stressed that they weren't necessary anymore.

When she started the car, the car-infused AI came to life and filled with the windshield with statistics. Depending on the mission, it displayed different information. The standard view should have been live traffic patterns, fastest routes, and a live feed to HQ. Instead, Ana's showed frequently driven routes, suggestions of restaurants, and a list of recently played music.

"Good afternoon, Doctor Pallas. Are we heading out for lunch today?" the smooth male voice of the AI prompted through the sound system.

"No, Paolo, just going for a drive."

"You named the AI?" Steve questioned.

"No, I named the car. The AI just happened to be part of it."

Steve cracked a smile.

She pressed some buttons on the center counsel and the technological view of the world disappeared.

Steve just stared at the dashboard. Every time he had to drive a S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicle he wasn't allowed to disable the AI.

"They don't let you disable the GPS do they?"

"Never," Steve frowned.

"I'm not supposed to, but once I figured out how they couldn't stop me. I've lived in New York my whole life, I don't need some satellite telling me how to get around."

'Where are we going again?"

"To meet with an expert."


	6. The Family Reunion No One Asked For

The deli in Fort Greene was a family affair. Every child worked there and every cousin chipped in now and then. Lydia would stay up late every night making baklava to sell the next day and there were numerous times Athena would stay up late to help her.

"My parents live in the apartment above. My brother Luca owns the shop now."

She pulled the car into a spot and gave Steve a serious look.

"Before we go in, I'm going to warn you. I have three brothers who are overprotective for no good reason. Any guy I bring near the house is an instant threat, so if they're overbearing, just stand your ground."

They climbed out of the vehicle and up the stairs to the small apartment. Athena prepared herself for the bombardment of questions Steve was going to get.

The last time she brought someone home it hadn't ended well. He was her project partner while she was studying at the S.H.I.E.L.D Academy. Her family convinced him, in one night, that Athena had a huge crush on him and was undateable. Athena was so traumatized that she never brought anyone else to meet her family.

When Athena knocked on the door she heard loud noises from inside as she tapped her foot out of nervousness and impatience. A chair scraped back and footsteps sounded. The door flung open and her eldest brother stood in the doorway. The delicious smell of Lydia's home cooking filled the air and Athena realized she didn't eat last night or in the morning.

"Well, if it isn't Anastasia Alexandra Pallas."

Despite his stern expression, Luca's green eyes glimmered with mischief. Athena noticed how much he looked like his mother. Olive skin and a head of brown curls he tried to keep tame through the use of too much product.

"Luca Kostas Manikas, long time no see."

Luca laughed and threw his arms around her, crushing her rib cage.

"Can't. Breathe!" she laughed.

Athena and Luca never got along well, seeing as she wasn't his true sister. But they shared a mutual love for physical fighting and Athena let him win once or twice.

He released her from her imprisonment and noticed Steve. His cheery expression changed to stern in a heartbeat.

"Who's this?"

"This is Steve. We're partners on an assignment. Is Piers here?"

"Do you remember what happened the last time you brought a work partner home?"

A teasing grin formed across his face.

"I do. You know, I'm still traumatized."

Athena brushed past her brother and into the living room.

"Luca, who's there?"

Lydia Manikas, Athena's adoptive mother called from somewhere in the apartment.

"It's Ana, mama."

More noise from inside and soon there were more bodies at the door, each with a smiling face. Athena glanced at Steve and saw something flash across his eyes. It looked forlorn.

"Ana, you've made it! You told me last night it was going to be a long day for you."

Lydia Manikas was a stern, yet cheerful woman whose black curly hair was streaked with grey. Her olive skin settled into crows feet and smile lines but managed to be wrinkle-free. Although, there were faint worry lines on her forehead. A hint at trouble.

"I know, mama, but the case I'm working on has questions that I need to ask Piers."

Hopefully, her mother would understand that she didn't come to stay and chat, she had things to do and people to see. Even though there weren't any STRIKE missions planned, and Athena had a second that could take over for her.

"Nonsense, you stay and talk to your family. And bring your friend too."

She winked at Steve and Ana grew red. Lydia pulled her daughter into the small living room where her other family members could make a fuss over her. Her grandmother Agatha held court from a rocking chair by the window. Athena's second oldest brother, Bastian, was seated with his girlfriend, Caitlyn, on the large sofa. Next to them was Ana's father, Kostas. Piers sat on the floor entertaining his infant son with his wife, Marie.

"Mama, I don't have time for this. There's something really important to discuss with-"

"Not until you tell me who you've brought with you."

"I'm Steve, Steve Grant."

It was hard to ignore the awkwardness of the situation. Every family member had their eyes on Steve. Measuring him up, trying to decide if he was good enough for their wonderful relative who deserved the world.

"Well, Steve Grant, how did you meet my granddaughter?"  
Agatha shifted in her chair as if to analyze Steve more closely. Her grandmother had eyes that saw deep into the soul. As if she were Minos deciding where her final vote would land, eternal paradise or eternal hell.

"_Giagiá_. We're coworkers. Speaking of which, Piers I need to-."

"Whatever work you have can wait. Take off your coat, talk with your family. It's been so long since we've seen you," Kostas persuaded from his broken-down armchair.

"You look like you haven't eaten in a week!" Marie exclaimed.

The Manikas' murmured in agreement until Lydia spoke up.

"Lucky for you, I just finished making pastitsio. You can take some home with you."

Lydia pulled Athena toward the kitchen, leaving Steve with the family members … alone. She cringed for him.

The kitchen was an absolute mess, as it always was after a Sunday full of cooking, but something was different about the mess. It was a stressful mess.

"Something's wrong," Athena spoke.

"What do you mean? Everything's fine. The holidays are getting to me, that's all," Lydia rambled as she tried wrangled a casserole dish out of the oven.

Athena slid on a pair of oven mitts, "No, everything is not 'fine'. You're stress cooking again."

She set the dish on the stove and turned to Lydia. Laughter rang from the living room and Lydia looked toward it with a sad look in her eyes.

"We can't afford to rent the community center for Christmas this year," she whispered.

"What?"

"They raised the prices and with the cost of flying my family from Greece, it's just too much. We could use the deli, but the space is too small for all of the dancing and the games. And you know Christmas wouldn't be the same without them."

Lydia set to work putting portions of pastitsio into Tupperware. Athena worried her bottom lip. This was the very thing she was thinking about yesterday.

"We could have it at my house."

"Oh, Ana. That's nonsense and too many people to burden you with hosting."

"No, it's not. I have plenty of kitchen space for all the food. And the basement is big enough for all of the dancing and games. All I would need to do is set up a couple of extra tables and chairs. Or we could eat with pillows on the ground. Please, mama, let me help." _I may not get another chance to_.

Athena's face fell as she realized this would be her last Christmas on Earth. If all of the signs added up, Ares was coming and Athena would soon be seated on the Olympian throne. There would be no more family Christmases, or birthdays, or Sunday dinners.

Lydia put the lid on the Tupperware and frowned as she handed it to Athena.

"I can't put all the responsibility on you-"

"You don't have to. Just handle everything the way you normally would and put my address on the invitations."

"Are you-"

"Yes, I'm sure."

There was a pregnant pause as Lydia considered Athena's offer.

"Fine," Lydia relented, but her smile betrayed her.

Athena swept her Earth mother into a hug before pressing a kiss to her cheek. Another peal of laughter came from the living room. Athena realized with horror that she left S.H.I.E.L.D.'s most important asset, currently healing from a vicious attack, in the living room with her brothers. She almost forgot what she came there for and had to refrain from sprinting to the living room.

She was relieved to see that Steve was in a perfectly unharmed condition. He had an infant on his lap and a huge smile on his face.

"Hey Ana, I think Jonny likes your new friend," Luca laughed.

"They say that babies are great judges of character." Lydia stood beside Athena and gave her a wink.

Athena resisted the urge to roll her eyes, but her cheeks grew hot and her throat dry.

"Piers, I need your help with something."

Piers stood and Athena made a motion for Steve to follow. They walked down the hall to Athena and Piers' shared bedroom. The walls were still covered in the random posters of comic book characters, cheesy action and sci-fi movies, and stickers they had collected.

"I thought you said we were meeting a professional," Steve questioned.

"We are. Piers is a professor of anthropology at NYU, specializing in the ancient Mediterranean."

She reached into her bag and pulled out the notepad with her rough sketches.

"I can't give you too many details but these are the symbols I need your help identifying."

"They're linear B."

"Linear B?"

"The written language of the Myceans, the civilization that gave birth to the Greeks."

Right, the Greeks. Everything seemed to be pointing to the right places.

"Well, can you tell me what they mean?"

"Just because I can read Greek you think I can read Linear B, it's a dead language."

Athena gave him a judgemental look, "I don't expect you to be able to, but can you at least give me something to go on?"

"There aren't Latin letter equivalents, they're just glyphs for sounds."

"Then give me sounds."

"Ah, Re, and Se."

Athena stole the pad back and scribbled her new information down. Then she strode to the bookcase and took out an old-looking book. She flipped to the page she needed and set it on the center of the floor.

Athena mumbled to herself as she arranged the symbols to match the circle. There was something there.

"What is she doing?" Steve asked Piers.

"Talking to herself. She always does it when she's stressed, or sleeping. Sometimes it's in different languages."

"There! Do you see it?" Athena exclaimed.  
"See what?"

"The pattern."

"The victim of this symbol suffocated due to these slashed marks behind the ear. Pisces is the fish. What if whoever claimed this victim, somehow altered the physiology of it's victim to a fish."

"That's impossible."

Steve looked at Athena's work.

"I know it _seems_ impossible, but after the Battle of New York, I don't think science can explain everything."

"They look like they're counting down. Pisces is the last sign and our first file. Aries is the last, so if the murders get to Aries, whoever is killing people will stop," Steve examined.

"Or it'll bring something bigger. Ah, Re, Se, Arese, Aries. Our symbols match the name," she muttered.

"The only thing that doesn't make sense are the dates. If we're dealing with a cycle, then there should be an equal time between each date, but they're random. Never the same amount of years and all in different months."

"We'll have to think about that back at the Triskelion,"

Athena took out her phone to snap a picture. As soon as she took it, the phone started ringing, the S.H.I.E.L.D logo appeared on the screen, but it was the name on the screen that struck fear into her heart.

"_Shit_." Athena slid her finger across the screen to answer. "Director Fury, sir, how are you?"

Athena started to pick up the files and motioned for Piers to leave the room.

"Dr. Pallas, would you like to tell me why my greatest asset is currently missing from the medical wing."

Athena glanced at Steve, "That's very flattering Director Fury. You know, I usually like to take my Sundays off, and because of last night I thought I would take an early lunch at the least."

Fury was silent, the tough silence he used when he knew someone was lying. Athena was a great warrior, and a force to be reckoned with, but Director Fury scared her like no other force in the Universe. She had no choice but to cave.

"I had a lead on the files you gave me, so I investigated it. Is there somewhere we can meet to talk about it?"

"If Captain Rogers is active again, then I need him back at Shield. I have a team leaving in less than seven hours."

Athena took a deep breath.

"Can I meet you at Irving in an hour?"

"Make it thirty. You're not off the hook, Pallas."

"Thank you, Director, I-"

The signature beep of a dropped line blurted into Athena's ear. She smiled in satisfaction, Steve matching her.

He collected up the last file and handed it to Athena, "Where to now?"

"Well, we have thirty minutes before we meet with Fury and lunch traffic will be terrible."

"He's not firing you?"

Athena rolled her eyes, "Fury won't do anything to me, I'm his soft spot."

They stepped back into the hall and Athena thanked Piers for his help. She headed for the living room to start the thirty-minute long good-bye.

She started with Kostas, then Marie and the baby, taking an extra second to coo adoringly. Then it was Bastian and his girlfriend, who would hopefully be promoted to fiancee by the end of the year. Athena spent too long hearing Bastian go on about settling down and finding the one, this girl was a keeper.

Finally, she got to _giagiá_. Agatha pulled her in close, a tighter squeeze than normal.

"You've got a real catch there," she whispered a hint of laughter underneath.

Athena sighed and gave Agatha a warning look. The old woman smiled and laughed her silent laugh, shaking shoulders and squinting eyes.

Lydia gave her adopted daughter a long, tight squeeze, then shoved the Tupperware at her and forced her out the door before she could refuse. Calls of 'drive safe!' and 'see you soon!' carried out the door as it shut.

She took a deep breath, "I'm sorry about them."

A grin danced across Steve's face as if he found it amusing.

"Don't worry about it." he took a couple of Tupperware to help Athena as she struggled with the care door.

"Are you sure they weren't too overbearing?"

"They were great. It must be nice having a large family."

"Yeah…"

Athena thought of her _real_ family, the one imprisoned by her usurper brother. It was drastically larger than the Manikas' and she wanted to tell Steve about it, but she couldn't.

"Well, if you ever needed a large family for anything, they would adopt you in a heartbeat."

Steve gave her the usual chuckle, the same one she'd been hearing all day. Athena shifted into drive and pulled away from the curb, heading back toward Roosevelt Island.

"I'm surprised mama didn't offer after she saw you holding Jonny. And my _giagiá_-" she whistled- "she really liked you."

"I might have to take you up on that offer someday," Steve agreed.

Athena gave him her brightest smile. Maybe someone could watch after them when she was gone. But Steve was a busy superhero with his own life, it would be silly to even suggest that possibility.


	7. Under Pressure

When Ana asked Fury if there was somewhere they could meet to discuss the new information, he didn't think they would meet him at a hipster coffee house in Lenox Hill. But there they were, seated at a window table with cups of house-roasted coffee surrounded by people while they talked about sensitive information. At least it had a nice atmosphere. And the sun made an appearance from behind the rainclouds, warming them through the window despite the chill that followed customers in.

"I've got to ask you a question," Steve tested.

"Go for it." She sipped her coffee.

"I noticed that your family members have the last name Manikas. But your last name is Pallas."

Ana's large family was a shock to Steve. He hadn't expected so many people and it struck a feeling in him he hadn't known he had. Growing up with only his mother and Bucky, and during such a troubled time, didn't foster the type of family dynamic he experienced today. He could've had that. Was it too late to get that dream back? A future with Peggy was out of the question, but a life with someone else was too hard to think about. Was domesticity out of the question?

"The Manikas adopted me. I've lived with them since I was really young."

"And you kept your last name?"

Ana got a far off look in her eyes, "My surname has extreme sentimental value, I would never dream of changing it."

"Not even if-"

Ana raised her eyebrow in a challenge, coffee cup paused between the table and her mouth.

"Nevermind," Steve coughed, crossing his arms and sinking into the seat in his embarrassment.

He scanned the restaurant again. Eyes grazing over wide-brimmed fedoras, piles of papers, and people typing away at laptops. Its patrons were blissfully unaware that a superhero and S.H.I.E.L.D. agent drank coffee with them.

Every time he looked at her, he only saw the woman in his vision. And her haunting words kept banging around in his head. A new question nagged at Steve, one he couldn't believe he'd been stupid enough to forget.

"You never told me why Fury's got you on this mission?"

"Does it matter?" she arched a brow.

Steve couldn't get it out of his head. She looked so much like the woman in his visions, there was no way they weren't connected. Ana could have answers about what he saw and what it meant. But only if she was actually connected. Everything could be a strange coincidence. There was no sense in embarrassing himself.

"If we're gonna be working together, I'd like to know why Fury thinks you're an asset."

"You mean after I drove to Brooklyn, figured out the pattern connecting everything, and managed to get myself on that flight to Greece, oh, not to mention saved your life, you're still questioning my importance?"

"Amuse me."

He leaned forward, placing his arms on the table. The autumn sun that glimmered through the window, disappeared behind a cloud, casting their table in the gloom.

"It just so happens that I have a wealth of knowledge about subjects very close to this investigation," Athena challenged.

"Are you gonna tell me what those subjects are?"

"Can't."

She mimicked Steve and put her arms on the table, leaning toward him. Maintaining his eye contact in an effort to make him back down. Steve knew better than to look away. Ana thought it was a game and he was going to play it to his advantage.

"Why not?"

"Against Fury's orders."

She smirked and took another sip of coffee before relaxing into the booth seat.

"You told me you were a field agent before. What made you become a doctor?"

"I found my talents wasted in the field."

"Either way you're saving lives."

"One felt more natural to me."

Steve wasn't buying it, "No, something happened that made you retire from the field."

The pause from Ana was long enough for Steve to know he hit the mark. He was still impressed that she managed to take what he was throwing at her and hurl it right back.

"That's classified," she warned.

"Oh really?"

"Fury's orders."

The front door swung open, but not a soul noticed when Fury walked in. And no one turned their heads when he pulled a chair away from an empty table. They were too engrossed in writing their next screenplay.

"This had better be good Pallas," Fury demanded.

"I promise Director, I won't waste your time."

She dug out the note pad with the symbols on it and explained all that they learned from her brother. As she laid out the evidence, Steve took a sip from his black coffee. He couldn't believe all the options on the board. Fanciful flavored coffee with all different types of milk. Steve felt outdated with his order after Ana rattled off something complicated.

"So what do you think is to blame for my dead agents. The council is starting to ask questions and I don't have answers."

Steve opened his mouth to respond, but Ana beat him to it.

"Director, I know it's a bit of a stretch but I think we're dealing with Greek gods this time."

"Oh?" Fury asked in his characteristic, nonchalant way. Nothing fazed him.

Steve wanted to protest, tell Ana she was crazy, but he didn't. She was so confident with her answer he was afraid of looking crazy for opposing her.

"If Thor exists in Norse legend, then who's to deny the fact that the other Pantheons exist. Everything points to Ares, the God of War."

Fury leaned back into his chair and looked at her notepad again.

"And how do we stop this murder spree?"

"I don't think there is a way, Director."

Steve thought about the woman in his visions. She'd been real enough before putting him under, if Ana and Agent Hill found him sooner the attack wouldn't have happened.

"What if we investigate further? Find out where they'll strike next and intervene?"

"That could work. The mission to Greece would give us more resources to work with," Athena noted.

"I hope your right." Fury pushed back his chair and stood.

"Captain, I expect you back at HQ as soon as possible. That goes for you too, Pallas. And no detours."

Fury disappeared out the door with a swish of his black trench coat. Steve turned back to Ana, his stomach dropped at her mischievous grin.

"Don't tell me… you're planning a detour."

Ana hummed and brought her cup close to her lips, "Several."

"No."

"Why not?"

"You heard Fury."

"Do you always follow orders?"

"Only when necessary."

"Figure that Captain America, notorious for ignoring his higher-ups, wants to follow orders."

Steve's eyes darted around the cramped cafe. If anyone heard them, the peaceful atmosphere he enjoyed would be gone in an instant.

"Oh, relax. They're too concerned about writing the next New York Times bestseller," Ana assured him.

"Following orders didn't seem to be an issue when you didn't want to give up your information."

"You've got me there," she confessed, throwing her hands up in faux defeat, "But what if someone was in danger?"

The look in her eyes danced on the border of dangerous. Steve knew he didn't want to know what thoughts raced through her mind.

"Who's in danger?"

"My afternoon."

He tried to give her a serious look, but his face betrayed him. His mouth spread into a grin that no doubt looked goofy.

"I don't think that counts."

"Are you sure about that?"

The edges of her eyes crinkled as the corners of her mouth picked up, mimicking Steve's stupid grin.

"You'll just have to amuse yourself with trying to solve this mystery."

She frowned and sighed, "Well, then, I guess we'll cut this little adventure short. Anything else you want before we go?"

Steve leaned to look over the menu once more, nothing appealed to him. He shrugged in indifference.

"Alright then."

They were tossed back into the hustle and bustle of mid-day New York City. The packed streets filled with cars and people, all hurrying to their next destination to the soundtrack of the smooth jazz pumped through the speakers in the coffee shop. It was like they had entered a whole other world.

New York was always busy, that much hadn't changed. But there was a different energy compared to the commotion Steve found himself in. There were still tourists, milling around the sidewalks, lost in the throngs of people. There were still business people hurrying back from their breaks. And millions of places to eat. As Ana maneuvered the car through intersections and tight spots, Steve had to steel himself from looking out the window to watch the buildings reach for the sky.

"Have you considered getting a place in Brooklyn so you don't have to deal with Stark?" Ana asked as she maneuvered the car out of its parking space.

"I've thought about it."

"If you ask Fury, he might find you a place and keep it off the records."

"I couldn't ask him for that."

"That's what I did. Of course, Shield was a little more … relaxed back then."

"I don't know. Harassing someone for an apartment isn't exactly my way."

"Touche," she declared, "They're just _so_ expensive."

"Really?"

"The cost of living was already high, the last thing it needed was gentrification."

Before Steve knew it, they were back on the ferry across the water and to the Triskelion. They made their way through the regular security protocols. Ana finished telling him a story about her academy classmates picking on a mutant and getting their eyebrows burnt off. Their laughs bounced off the elevator walls and carried out into the medical bay waiting room.

Their laughter faded when they got a glimpse of who awaited them. Scattered about were the members of his team. Tony crossed his arms, Natasha raised her eyebrow, Clint smirked, and Wanda pursed her lips and looked away. Steve's face fell and he stepped away from Ana, who remained unphased by the special visitors.

"I'll see you later, Ste- Captain Rogers."

She did offer him and the visitors a sweet smile, before gliding back to her office.

"You have some explaining to do, _Captain_," taunted Tony.

Steve sighed. _I sure do_.

Wanda sympathized, "We were concerned about you-"

"And you're off galavanting around town with the doctor," Stark interrupted.

Natasha jumped to his defense, but Clint took Tony's side in the taunting. Wanda tried to slip a few words in, but they were swallowed by the scuffle of words.

"She's on this mission too."

The looks of confusion and surprise said it all.

"Why?" Nat asked, lowering herself to sit on the arm of the waiting room couch.

"Fury asked her. She claims to have specialized knowledge we could use."

"What does that mean?"

Clint furrowed his brows. _It means that's what she told me and she's tied to my attacker somehow_.  
"That's what I've been trying to figure out. We left to consult a friend of hers. A professor."

"I think the real question we should be asking is why are we doing the research here. Doesn't Shield usually gather the intel, then send us to deliver the punches?"

Tony, in his always cooly frantic way, began pacing.

"Fury said Agents are dying. Maybe he thinks more minds put to the task will help," Nat offered.

"Or it's because there isn't a bad guy to punch … yet. Doctor Pallas figured that these attacks are just warnings for a much bigger boss. And once they've done their part, he'll come and finish the job."

Steve sat across from Clint and Natasha and ran his hand over the rough weave of the couch.

"And who is _he_?" Wanda asked.

"Ares,"

"Ares? Like the Greek god of war Ares?"

Clint sat up in interest, Natasha too. Now he had them. And thought it was just as crazy too.

"That's the one."

"That's crazy."

"Impossible."

"Not really. Think about it, if Thor is real and he's from Norse legend, why couldn't there be Greek versions?" Wanda posed.

"That's what Doctor Pallas suggested. And it gets more interesting. When I was attacked last night, I had a hallucination or something. And there was a woman who looked just like her. If my attack is connected to the others, then so is she."

"But what does he want?"

Tony stopped his pacing, thankfully.

"It's unclear," Steve looked in the direction Ana walked toward a few minutes ago, "But I'll bet anything it's got something to do with her."


	8. Memories

The weather took a nasty turn overnight, harsher winds and the threat of heavy snow, forcing New Yorkers into their official winter gear. It would be much warmer in Greece, but Athena doubted she would get to enjoy the warm weather. A research trip meant research, not leisure.

Athena rolled her suitcase down the tarmac of the Triskelion's private runway. Directors Coulson and Hill and Agents Romanoff and Barton were already there. The chilly autumn wind, blowing off the river, tugged at Athena's coat and hair. A chill passed through her and she reached a gloved hand up to adjust her scarf.

"Doctor Pallas, it's good to have you with us," Agent Coulson greeted above the wind.

"It's good to be here."

Athena greeted the other travelers and signed hello to Clint. Agent Barton had special hearing aids that helped him and he was an advanced lip reader, but Athena knew that he preferred having people sign to him. Clint smiled and signed back.

"I hate when they do that," Nat complained.

"Good Morning Captain Rogers, Miss Maximoff," Coulson called.

Steve and Wanda made their way to the group. As they walked, the rough wind picked up Wanda's hair and whipped it around, she fought to keep it down while holding a conversation with Steve.

"And where's the infamous Tony Stark?" Athena asked.

"Tony refuses to fly on any place that isn't his own, so he'll be meeting us there," Maria informed.

Nat rolled her eyes and shifted her weight into her hip. The bitter cold didn't affect the hardened Russian agent, even in her thin, fur-lined jacket. If only Athena had that same resistance. Winter wasn't the same on Olympus, it was warm and sunny. Her first winter on Earth was quite a shock and she'd been ill-prepared to take on the New York snow.

Everyone boarded the small jet, an unmarked plane that was used for undisclosed missions, instead of the highly recognizable quinjets.

"Mind if I sit here?" Steve asked, motioning to the empty seat next to Athena.

"Only if you don't try to interrogate me."

"I make no promises."

She knew she should've been wary of Steve, especially with the way he put her on the spot yesterday, but she couldn't blame him for his human nature. She was keeping crucial information that could shorten the whole mission. However, revealing it would put her in a vulnerable position. Honestly would have to take a back seat for now.

Athena was seated next to the window, she loved looking at how small everything was when she flew. It reminded her of flying on the back of pegasus during her very rare free time. Rising and watching the landscape disappear below her. It put everything into perspective.

Maria's voice filled the intercom to ready everyone for take-off and the plane started down the runway. As the jet angled into its ascent, Steve's hands tightened around the armrest between them.

"You don't like to fly," Athena commented, trying her hardest to seem disinterested.

Steve looked to his feet, "The last time I was on a plane, things didn't end well for me."

Athena nodded in understanding. She may have taken a deeper peek at Steve's file than she needed to, and her brother was a huge Captain America fan, so the story got retold all the time. Crashing the plane into the water had been a heroic thing to do, a defining event in the legend of Captain America.

"What about you?"

Athena glanced out the window. The great empire of New York faded to just a collection of grey shapes in the tailwind. She fiddled with her necklace as she replied, "I don't mind it. But I don't do it very often. Look, we're over Brooklyn."

Steve leaned closer to look out the small window. She caught the scent of him, clean and cool, like old soap. A comforting scent compared to the colognes she'd smelt in her time on Earth.

Athena relaxed against the cushioned seat. The exhaustion from the past few days caught up to her and settled deep in her bones. She didn't try to fight her eyelids as they grew heavy and lowered.

_Athena stood in the middle of a dense forest, an eerie green light filtered through the canopy of leaves. It was beautiful and familiar to her, the way the foliage covered the ground and the air hung heavy, filling her lungs with its sweet thickness. A light wind picked up, rustling the leaves and carrying the laughter of a girl. Athena looked around. The laugh sounded familiar. Like it was pulled from the deep recesses of her brain but she couldn't place where she'd heard it._

_A streak of white flashed past her, quickly followed by another streak of yellow. Athena followed them. The colors zipped around the forest with such ease, she was breathless when she finally caught up. She chased them along the curving path. Her bare feet pounded the leaf-covered ground. Every footfall energizing her to continue after them. _

_They stilled at the edge of the forest. Athena leaned against a tree to catch her breath and saw them clearly for the first time. They were two girls._

_The white blur was a young woman. Her hair pulled away from her fresh face and she wore a chiton fastened around the waist with gold. Her feet were bare. The yellow blur was younger, more of a girl than a woman. Her dark hair flowed freely and she wore a loose yellow chiton with a pink hem. She wore no shoes but had a bow and quiver slung over her shoulders. The young girl collapsed to the ground with exhaustion._

"_You are getting much stronger, sister!" the young woman exclaimed._

_Athena recognized the woman, it was herself. She spotted the gregorian pendant around her younger self's neck and she reached to grip her own. A gift from Zeus when Perseus slew Medusa. It allowed her sword and shield to be available to her anywhere. A priceless possession that could never be replaced._

"_I'll never be better than you Athena."_

"_You'll be as strong as me when you're older. We can't all spring from father's forehead fully grown."_

Artemis! _Athena hadn't seen her sister in so long. It was odd to see her look so young. She remembered this day. Hera finally gave her a break from all of her lessons and Artemis begged Athena to race with her._

_Artemis rolled her eyes and laughed, her older sister laughing as well. The two started on their way through a green meadow of waist-high grass. They joked about many things. Athena followed them, smiling at the scene and running her hand over the grass. It was a soothing memory, if not for the events that followed._

_A terrible shriek cut through the serene air. The bright white sunlight that shone on them darkened like a cloud had blocked out the sun. Artemis let out a surprised gasp as she looked out across the hills._

_A village was on fire. The hills that surrounded them erupted into bright flame. The horrified cries of the townsfolk below raised to the sky. They were running, trying to flee. Most were covered in blood and burns. Young Athena took off through the flames to the village below._

_In the town square, everything was worse. The houses and shops were an inferno, the intense heat bearing down on those who remained. There were dead bodies everywhere. In the middle of the town was a massive pile of them, standing atop was a man in armor and helm, wielding a broadsword. His exposed skin smeared with blood, the dark red of his cape deepened with it. _

_A woman with dark hair, dressed in black, ran around the square. Her high pitched screech and hysterical laugh terrorized the people hidden behind overturned carts and destroyed walls. She was Eris, goddess of discord, who followed Ares into battle and heralded his coming._

_Young Athena gripped her necklace. The pendant grew into a shield and young Athena unsheathed the sword from it. A broadsword forged in the fires of Hephaestus with a pommel of gold and fine leather. Athena remembered it well. She pointed the tip at the menace. _

"_Enough Ares. These are innocent people who have done no wrong," Athena challenged._

_Artemis raced up behind her, placing a hand on Young Athena's shoulder. She looked from sibling to sibling, fear in her eyes._

"_Oh, but they have. These people are all sinners in my eyes," Ares roared as he stepped down from his mountain of bodies. A squishing sound accompanied his steps, coating the bottoms of his sandals and seeping from the wall of dead villagers._

_Artemis cringed at the sound, as Young Athena wanted to, but she kept her posture straight and her eyes on her brother._

_He waved his sword at a group hidden behind a low wall. Eris screeched again, laughing happily at the way Artemis cringed away at the awful sound._

"_If they are, that is for Hades to decide, and their punishment left to the Erinys."_

_Artemis whispered in her ear, "Please stop. We should leave before things get out of hand."_

_Young Athena ignored her sister's plea and continued to challenge her brother. Eris continued to screech and scream._

"_That's enough Eris!" Ares and Young Athena ordered._

_Eris stopped her screaming and huffed, but continued to dance around the square in her demented way, swishing her dark skirts._

_The air was quieter, allowing the siblings to talk with more civility. Soot rained from the red sky, covering Young Athena's pure white clothing with its dark pigment. She remained unmoved, like the statue rendition of herself that graced museums._

"_You do not understand what you are getting yourself into, sister. You do not have a rage that constantly needs fulfilling."_

_Young Athena turned to Artemis, "Get the rest of the villagers somewhere safe. Make sure they're taken care of."_

_Artemis looked at her sister with wide eyes, only taking a step back._

"_Leave. Now," Young Athena commanded, turning her attention back to her brother._

_The young girl nodded and notched an arrow before running to the group of civilians behind the wall. _

_Ares' face grew red with anger, "You think that because you're father's chosen daughter, that you can order me around. I'm stronger than you, faster than you, smarter than you." _

_Eris cackled as Ares' sword cut through the air, accenting each of his bold statements. Her shield met his weapon with a clang every time. Sparks flew between the metals as the sharp edge grated against it. Young Athena drew her sword and turned, slashing Ares across the shoulder._

_He let out a mighty roar and raised his weapon again. Young Athena saw the place where his breastplate left a small section of his ribs exposed. She forced her sword there. Ares dropped his own and stumbled. He tripped over a dead villager and fell back against his pile of kills. _

"_You may be stronger than me, but you are too blinded by your rage to think. Of all the things you claim, brother, being smarter isn't one of them."_

"_How dare you! You will pay for this Athena, I will see to it. I will kill you with my own hands if I must."_

_His enormous form disappeared. Ares had run off to his hiding place where he would remain until Zeus and Hera left Olympus. Until it was time to exact his revenge on Athena. He ambushed her while she was preparing for the coronation, effectively usurping the throne._

"_Athena," a far off voice called._

_A woman entered the devastated town square. Her fashion-forward jumpsuit clashing with the antiquated scene. Flames still burned all around them. She had blood on her face and clothes and she looked exhausted._

"_Athena, can you hear me? You must come back. We are all depending on you. Go to your temple in Athens. I will meet you there if I can."_

"_Urania?"_

_Athena's most trusted advisor who worked closely with the fates. The Muse of astrology and prophecy. _

"_Olympus is dying. Go to your temple. I will meet you there if I can."_

"_What happened to you. Urania please, what do you mean Olympus is dying."_

_Athena reached out to grab her old friend, but when she did, flames engulfed her._

She sat up straight, her hand clenched the nearest thing to her. Flames still clouded her vision and Urania melted away like snow.

"Are you okay?"

Steve's voice brought Athena back to her seat on the plane. The plane to Greece. Athens, where her temple was.

"Yeah, just a bad dream." Athena looked at her hand which captured Steve's forearm in a vice-like grip. "Oh, uh, sorry."

Steve shrugged and waved off her apology. She stood and inched past Steve and walked toward the cockpit where Maria was piloting the plane.

"Everything alright, Ana?" Maria asked when she walked through the cockpit door.

Coulson was gone, leaving the co-pilot seat open. Athena lowered herself into it and looked out at the blue of the Atlantic.

"Where's the Shield base located in Greece?"

"On the southwest side of Salamis Island," Maria reported, leaning forward to flip a few switches.

"How far is that from Athens?"

"Not too far. I assume we'll spend some time there."

"Good."

That would give her time to slip off to the Parthenon and meet with Urania.

"Any reason you asked?"

Athena tore her gaze away from the picturesque ocean before her.

"The Manikas are from Athens, I thought I would snag them a couple of souvenirs."

That was a lie, the Manikas were from further inland, but Athena was willing to blur details to get her what she needed.

"That's nice," Maria deadpanned.

"Sorry, that was just a burning question I had. I'll let you get back to piloting the ship."

"Thank you. We'll be landing in another hour."

Athena nodded and left, brushing past Coulson on her way out. If she managed to meet with Urania she might be able to get a look into Olympus. It looked like a bloodbath. How many of her family members were lost because they had no idea where she went? And if there was any way to get them to Earth so they could help Athena in her weakened state.


	9. Grecian Research

The jet soared across the Mediterranean sea. The blue-green waters speeding past without any time to appreciate the beauty of the waves and the sunlight glinting off of it. The orange cliff face appeared on the horizon, it's brilliant color a compliment to the teal sea that crashed against its stoic features. Agent Hill's voice came over the intercom to tell everyone that they had reached the base.

The uninterrupted cliff face was broken as a set of doors opened, revealing the bleak, grey interior of the hangar. Hill guided the vehicle in for a graceful landing.

As soon as they were parked, S.H.I.E.L.D agents swarmed in a flurry of excitement and work. It was no different than the S.H.I.E.L.D bases anywhere else. A woman in a sharp pantsuit greeted them, a clipboard tucked under her arm.

"Hello, Avengers and Company. I'm Agent Hoek. If you'll please follow me," She stated before she started at a brisk pace.

"Has Stark arrived yet?" Hill asked as she tried to keep up with Agent Hoek.

"He arrived just before you and has already made himself at home in the guest house," the guide answered. She looked like she wanted to laugh.

Their group walked through a hallway that was built out of the same bland metal, just like every other base. There wasn't even a speck of red dust from outside to be seen. Agent Hoek led them through the maze of hallways, as they passed other employees, Steve noticed that they were whispering to their co-workers.

"You Avengers _are_ a really big deal. I thought it was just a New York thing." Ana said.

"Apparently not."

They loaded onto the elevator, which was very small compared to the elevators at the Triskelion. Steve and Ana ended up crammed against each other, her face was mere inches away from his.

"The Greek base is a smaller operation, and it was started much later than the rest, so we are still working on our facilities," Hoek explained.

The car jerked and Ana lost her balance. Steve reached out to help her, Ana's hand grabbed his bicep with just enough pressure to make Steve blush. With her hand still on his bicep, Ana muttered out thanks. She didn't look uncomfortable but detached herself when the doors opened.

The guest house was exactly as one would guess, a normal house that blended in with its surroundings but was untraceable. The walls were white-painted, the decor in shades of blue. Everything soaked in the blazing afternoon sun.

"Your luggage will be up shortly," Hoek stated before the elevator doors closed on her.

It was beautiful on the island, the air filled with the distant sound of water crashing on the rocks and birds calling. The peacefulness an abrupt change of pace from brash, speeding New York.

"It's about damn time you show up. I thought I was going to have to solve whatever this problem is on my own. Not that I wouldn't have minded," the grandiose voice of Tony Stark commented as he entered the living space.

Steve felt the familiar feeling of loathing. There was something about Stark that brought out the worst in him.

As Tony scanned over the group, he noticed the new addition. His eyes lit up in joy.

"And who might you be?" Tony took a sip from the glass of liquor he held in his hand.

"Doctor Ana Pallas. Director Fury asked me to accompany the team on this assignment," Ana stated and held out her hand for Tony to shake.

Tony looked Ana up and down then turned away without taking her hand. She didn't take it to heart, letting her hand drop and rolling her eyes good-naturedly.

"So, what's your superpower?"

"My what?"

"Everybody on this team has some type of _skill_. Are you super smart? Superfast? Super strong?"

"I don't have a power. Just an extensive background in research strategies and medical studies I'm afraid."

Tony let out a dissatisfied 'hmph' and went about his rambling, "I've already scouted out the rooms and it looks like we're doubling up. I already know the Bird and the Spider are gonna want one another, so that leaves Red, Spangles, and me. And, just for fun, why don't we let our new recruit pick her roomie."

He winked at her and Ana laughed at his flirtatious gesture. Steve already knew how this was going to turn out. There was something about women that made them group up.

"I am very sorry to tell you Tony, but we women stick together. Ana will room with me."

Wanda linked arms with Ana and led her off to go find their room.

"Looks like it's me and you, spangles."

Steve sighed with contempt. Tony would never stop with the flag-themed nicknames, not even at the end of the world. Hell, his last words would bother Steve.

The next day dawned too soon. Steve wished his body adapted quicker to the time change but when his biological clock told him it was time to wake up, the rest of the world was already well about their days. He busied himself with a run through the mountain paths before returning to the base and finding something to eat.

"I was wondering what smelled so good," Ana commented.

She yawned, stretching her arms up and rising to her tiptoes.

"The rest of the team still asleep?"

"Yeah. Wanda looked too peaceful to wake and I wasn't even going to try to wake up Romanoff."

"I thought she was rooming with Clint," chuckled Steve

"She ended up with us somehow."

Steve nodded and went back to making his food. Ana sat on the counter and tucked her legs up.

"You know, just because you're suspicious of me doesn't mean you have to ignore me. You might learn something if you actually engaged in conversation," Ana taunted.

"Every time I try you shut me down according to Fury's orders," he responded, pointing his spatula at her.

"That's because you aren't asking the right questions." she pushed the spatula away.

"What questions should I ask?"

"I don't know. Ones that don't involve classified information."

_Everything about you is classified_, Steve grumbled to himself.

"Read any good books?" she asked, sliding off the counter to look through the cupboards for plates.

"Not recently."

"Do you read at all?"

"Of course. There's just not enough time in the day," Steve admitted.

Ana hummed in agreement. When was the last time he sat down and read a book? Now he was too consumed with catching up on all of the technology and filling his time with work.

"You should read "1984" by George Orwell. An important commentary about the dangers of surveillance."

Steve reached into the pocket of his grey sweats and retrieved his little leather notebook to write it down.

"So it is true."

"What's true?"

"That you have a list. I thought it was just an office myth."

Steve jotted down her suggestion before shoving the notebook back into his pocket with a little more force than necessary.

It wasn't until later when they were finally granted clearance to archives. And within an hour the Avengers found themselves in the storeroom, scouring through files both electronic and paper to find more information as to what they were dealing with. Everyone disappeared into the shelves as soon as they were allowed access to the storeroom. Steve hadn't seen anyone since.

He worked his way through a section filled with thick books written in Greek, the script unrecognizable to him. He recognized some names from the ID tabs taped to the spines. Aristotle, Socrates, Plato. Seeing as they were men of science, Steve doubted they had any knowledge of supernatural beings and how to fight Gods. But maybe they had some insight on the much larger problems he faced. Without really thinking about it, Steve reached for the volume labeled Plato.

"That won't help you much," a voice stated.

Steve looked beside him to find its owner. The shelving along the wall created a snug corner where Ana made herself at home, seated on the floor and surrounded by books, all of them written in Greek.

"What?"

"That's Plato's Republic. I don't think advanced political philosophy is going to help you solve _any_ problem."

She set the book down on her lap and reached for another beside her. A slight smile spread across her face when he slid the book back onto the shelf and walked toward her.

"You having fun with all those books?" Steve asked.

"Aren't you?"

"I haven't seen another face the whole time we've been down here."

"I've been hard at work, digging into as much lore as possible. But if I'm being honest, I'm hiding from Stark."

"If he's being that intolerable, I can tell him to back off."

"Oh, no, he's not being that kind of insufferable. He's just convinced that I'm a spy or a mutant and he hasn't stopped asking about it," she sighed.

"Yeah, that sounds like Stark. You know Greek?"  
He settled himself beside Ana and her stack of books.

"Uh, yeah. Unfortunately, not enough to translate all this text."

"Then how have you…"

Ana held up a Greek to English dictionary and grinned, "It's time-consuming, but I'm starting to get the hang of it. You see that word-"

She pointed out a word of the script.

"It means vision. It's in nearly half of these myths. Did you have something like that in your encounter?"

"I'm not sure I remember well enough."

Steve did remember though. He remembered Peggy and the dance hall. The dream turned into a nightmare. The woman that looked like Ana and her haunting words. _You serve a greater purpose. Your fate is written in the stars. You fight for those who can't and you stand for the values you were built upon. Freedom and justice. There will come a great war that you are the key to winning. You will save the universe._

"That's fine. I think there's enough evidence here."

She thought for a moment, "Do you know Greek? Your file says that you know at least five languages."

"I know the really important ones. Russian, Spanish, French, Italian, some Japanese, a little German."

"Impressive. I only know English and whatever my _mitéra_ taught me of Greek. Oh, and Spanish. I took it as my elective at the academy, and I learned swear words from the Puerto Rican family that lived next door."

"Show me."

"Well, there really aren't any Spanish texts around here, but I think I remember how to say a few basic phrases-"

"No, Greek."

"Oh."

Steve picked a book off a pile and handed it to her.

"Alright."

"Well, I could tell you this myth off the top of my head. A king and queen give birth to three daughters. But only the third daughter, Psyche, possessed unearthly beauty. She was so beautiful that words could not express it. Rumor spread of her beauty, eventually reaching the ears of the goddess Aphrodite. She was angered that mortals would dare say that another mortal's beauty would surpass her own. So she called upon her son, Cupid, to use his arrows to make her fall in love with a terrible monster.

"Always loyal to his mother, Cupid went to Earth. He was so amazed by her beauty that he accidentally shot himself. And once he did, he was irrevocably in love with Psyche. Psyche's parents, the king, and the queen became aware that her beauty had angered the gods and that no mortal man would take her for a wife. They went to the temple of Apollo and learned that her fate was much worse than they could have ever imagined.

"'The virgin is destined for the bride of no mortal lover. Her future husband awaits her on top of the mountain. He is a monster whom neither gods nor men can resist.' Psyche knew that she was doomed and followed the oracles' advice without complaint. And so, her father left her atop the highest cliff. Once there she was swept away by the west wind, Zephyr, -"

"Are you two love birds ready to debrief or are you going to continue to cuddle in the corner?" Natasha asked as she passed by.

"Looks like you'll have to finish telling me another time."

"It looks like I will."

Ana picked up the important book and made her way back to the conference room at the front of the archives.

Steve noticed another book open on the floor. It was in English with an illustration of a woman dressed in battle armor. _Athena,_ it read, _Goddess of Wisdom and strategic warfare. Guardian of Humanity. Aliases: Athene, Pallas Athena, Pallas Athene. _Pallas. _The origin of the name is unknown but the commonly accepted origin is that Athena took the name after killing her childhood friend, Pallas, in a sparring match. She took the name for herself as a sign of her grief_.

He picked up the book and looked closer at the artwork. He turned the page to another drawing. The chest up rendering of the goddess stared back at him with cold grey eyes, her angular face framed by brown curls. The pendant around her neck boasted the face of medusa. It looked like the one Ana wore around her neck.

_Ana Pallas. Pallas Athena_. They even had the same necklace and startling looks.

"Steve? You coming?"

Ana gave him a look, as though he was acting weird. He looked from the drawing in front of him to Ana. It was like looking at a self-portrait.

"Yeah, I'm right behind you."

"Okay," she sounded out and left.

Steve closed the book, keeping his finger on the page he needed, and went to the meeting.

Everyone discussed what they had found, though it was nothing groundbreaking. There were hundreds of myths that they had looked through. Stories of conquest and the different civilizations that had ruled over Greece, and that Greece had ruled over.

Ana was the only one who had valuable information, "They're called the _diárkeia foniás_. An ancient killing squad that one could call upon with the right set of charms and perfect timing. There are twelve of them, each based upon a constellation and myth. Their killing styles vary, but there is one thing in common. They are deadly beyond all compare. But other than that, I don't know how or where they choose their victims. Traditionally, they're used to execute an entire lineage in a few hours, or armies in a night."

The room was silent, Steve could almost hear the gears turning in everyone's brains. Especially his as he tried to process his discovery. Then, Tony grabbed a paper map and headed over to a whiteboard.

"Where was the first murder?"  
"692 10th Avenue, Hell's Kitchen." Ana recited from one of the files in front of her.

Tony marked it on the map, "Next!"

Ana walked to the whiteboard and pointed it out, "In the alley between 680 and 694 East 140th street, Mott Haven."

Ana listed off the next few locations and the anxiety in the room as palpable. Tony turned around with extravagant flair and pointed his marker at the files on the table, "What do all of these have in common besides, Shield, New York City, and astrological killing?"

He moved out of the way to reveal that all of the locations were on direct paths to one specific spot.

"The Triskelion," Steve stated.

"Now that's what I call a breakthrough. Why don't we celebrate with real Greek food, my treat."

"But it doesn't solve the question of where are they going to strike next," Wanda spoke.

"Well, we can assume it's a Shield agent. If only Shield agents have been targets and the murders all happened around the Triskelion," Nat offered.

Steve prompted, "And if they attacked me, we can _also_ assume that it's someone high up."

Steve watched Ana with careful eyes. She was looking down at the files, seeming interested in the information provided by them.

"Can we figure that out later? Stark promised food and I'm starving," Clint complained.

Nat jabbed him with her elbow muttering something about always being hungry. Tony shrugged and left the room. Everyone filed out after him, except Ana and Steve.

She placed papers back into files but stilled when she noticed Steve still looking at her.

"Do you have more questions involving my importance to this mission?"

Her tone hinted that she was joking, but Steve didn't want to joke.

"I have questions, that's for sure." he opened the book and placed it in front of her. "You said that your last name has extreme sentimental value. Could it be because you killed your friend during a sparring match?"

Ana looked at the illustration. Her hand traced the pendant around the neck of the goddess.

"I suppose I look a lot like her. But _Giagiá _has been telling me that since I was young."

That wasn't the answer Steve was looking for. He sighed. He knew he wasn't crazy. The hallucinations were weird but he knew that she would understand. He needed to know.

"When I first woke up you asked me if I had any strange visions during the attack."

"That's because Wanda came to me that same night and told me bits and pieces of what she'd seen. I was hoping you could fill in the gaps." Ana stacked the files up and slid them to one side of the table.

"Did she tell you that the woman in my visions looked like you?"

Ana froze, "No, she didn't."

"If I've read you completely wrong, I'm sorry. But there are too many coincidences for me to ignore."

Ana looked at the book again, her hand fidgeting with the pendant around her neck.

"Then you've read me completely wrong," she stated, "First you can't accept the fact that there are certain things about me I don't want to reveal and now you're accusing me of being a goddess with ties to our bad guy."

"Anyone with something to hide is not someone to trust," Steve remarked.

"I was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt. Whether you believe me or not, I'm on this mission and you'll have to get used to that."

"If I catch you two alone again, I'm telling Stark," a voice taunted from the doorway.

Nat stood in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest.

Ana grabbed the files from the side of the table, "Don't worry, I was just leaving."

As she pushed past Natasha, the Russian agent looked at her with questioning eyes. She turned her gaze on Steve and let out a low whistle.

"What the hell did you do, Rogers?"

Steve looked away from Nat's judging stare. What _had_ he just done?


	10. War Stories

The sun was low in the sky by the time the team arranged themselves around the living room with their food. The orange sunset looked beautiful against the white walls of the guest house. Athena sat between Wanda and Nat, they decided to be her guard dogs. After her confrontation with Steve, she needed to be careful.

He was starting to put it together and any misstep would bring her carefully crafted facade crashing down. She glanced at him across the room but they made eye contact. She quickly shifted her eyes back to her food.

"That's such bullshit!" Nat cried.

Everyone looked at her. She glared at Clint, pointing her fork menacingly. Nat was a fierce protector of her partner but she was never afraid to put him in his place if he stepped out of line. Especially if it had to do with his ego.

"Prague Spring Uprising in '68. I was shot in the shoulder and thigh, broke my foot and arm, slipped a disk, and I still completed my mission. So I don't want to hear about how awful it was being under mind control," she huffed.

There was a tense silence in the room as everyone tried to decide how to react. She'd been on the wrong side of that humor once or twice before.

"You know, sometimes I wonder how you're still alive," Tony commented.

"I like to think it's a combination of luck and Russian tenacity," she smirked and returned to her food.

Her comment returned the relaxed atmosphere but everyone was keen to stay on battle stories.

"If you think breaking some bones is bad, you never had to deal with a piece of shrapnel threatening to pierce your heart any second."

A collective groan from the group. Athena could only guess they'd heard the story hundreds of times before.

"It was when-"

Maria entered the room with the announcement that Thor was back. Everyone abandoned their food to hear what he had to say.

"Can't I ever finish one story?" Tony complained on the way.

Athena pulled Hill aside, "When you're done with Thor, send him to the medical bay. I'll be there."

"Are you sure you don't want to attend to him at the meeting?"

"I'll have more resources in the medical bay."

Hill shrugged and followed the team. Athena slipped off.

She adored her cousin but he would reveal everything. She needed to talk to him in private and let him know her delicate situation.

It was a while before Thor showed up, still wearing his armor and covered in cuts and grime.

"I'm afraid to ask what trouble you got yourself into this time," Athena commented as he sat Mijlnor down onto the floor.

"Come again?" he looked at her in confusion.

"Did you let Eris trick you into kissing her again?"

"Athena?"

"Who'd have thought?"

"They told me you were dead!"

In one fluid motion, he had Athena trapped in a headlock. She pawed at his muscled arm. Classic Thor, always joking at the worst moments.

"And I almost believed them but you were always tricky, just like Loki."

Athena pried Thor's arm from around her neck, "Thor, you jerk. Your brother and I are nothing alike."

She delivered a powerful punch to Thor's chest and he let out a mighty roar of a laugh. She couldn't keep the smile off her face.

Loki was like a little brother to her. He was always around on Olympus when Asgard didn't want him. Zeus didn't like having the negative influence around Apollo but the two got along so well, it was impossible to keep them apart. Athena tagged along on a few of their adventures. And she'd met Fenrir and Jormungandr, Narfi and Vali. She'd been on Asgard the day they bound Fenrir and she shed a tear as they drove the rock into the ground, binding him forever into the land. It was a cruel fate for a creature so beautiful.

She spent another summer in Asgard, assisting Odin in war councils and drinking the mead of poets in the gardens with Thor and Loki, each of them trying to outdo the other with their verse. Loki always won.

Thor sat back down, "For your information, it was Eris that attacked me but there was no kissing involved this time."

On one of Thor's visits to Athena's home, Eris disguised herself as a wood nymph to seduce Thor. When he got close she revealed herself and clawed at him. He came back to the palace, face red with blood and embarrassment.

"What did you learn," Athena asked as she set to work cleaning up the scrapes.

"That Olympians don't like people sneaking around their temples."

"That's true. What else?"

"Nothing useful to you. Why didn't you tell us when Zeus and Hera left. We might have helped you avoid this war."

"I was ambushed."

_It was the day before her coronation and Athena's schedule was full of meetings and appointments. She left a meeting with the fates and was on her way to a fitting, Artemis accompanying her. The world around them was bright and shining, as it always was. _

"_Your Grace," Hermes bounded down the hallway with a scroll clutched in his feathered hand, "Ares! He has been spotted-"_

_Hermes was cut off as the palace shook. Athena grabbed her sister Artemis by the arm, trying to steady herself. Artemis looked at her with wide eyes. The brave goddess, for once in her life, was scared._

"_We are not prepared for an attack!" she cried._

_Athena pushed her sister up the flight of stairs behind them, "He will attack the armory first, then the throne room. When he cannot find me, he will look in our chambers. Get out now, alert the others, and go somewhere safe. I will find you when it's over."_

"_Athena, no. He will kill you."_

"_He will kill you too if you don't go. Now!"_

_Artemis looked to her sister one last time before she bounded up the stairs. Athena gathered her skirts away from her feet and headed back down the hall. The palace shook again. Her hurried steps faltered, her sandals caught and she crashed against the wall. Her head collided with the marble, a sickening crack rang out. Athena's diadem tumbled to the floor. Her hand found the back of her skull. There was no blood._

_Despite her dizziness, she charged down the hall. It opened into a courtyard, the palace's private gardens. Athena leaned against a column as she tried to catch her breath and steady her head. Another tremor. The column behind her shook and swayed. She looked at the portico above._

_Her dress caught in her legs as she tried to flee the collapsing structure. She tumbled down the short flight of steps, landing on the hard cobblestone path. She hit her head again, the warm slick sensation of blood on her forehead. Her palms bled where the ground scrapped them but she pushed herself off the ground, gritting her teeth at the pain. _Father, give me strength.

_The columns crashed to the ground behind her. The stone crumbled, pillars that withstood eons of time ruined by jealousy and hate._

_Alone in the gardens, Athena found a moment to catch her breath. They were oddly peaceful in the chaos of the tremors. _

"_Athena! Dear Sister!" _

_The goddess whirled around to see Ares standing where the columns fell. He removed his helm to get a better look at his opponent, his own family._

"_Ares, you do not have to do this. I do not understand why you're mad at me but I assure you we can reach an agreement."_

_Athena backed away as Ares vaulted over the stone, closing the distance between them._

"_I doubt that. What you have done cannot be repaired with words or treaties or alliances. Only blood."_

_Athena refused to take her eyes off her brother. The God of Chaotic War had no honor and would not think twice about trying something sneaky. There were no lengths he wouldn't stoop to get Athena out of the way._

"_Brother, I still do not know what you are talking about. What have I ever done to anger you?"_

"_You were always his favorite!"_

_Ares swung his sword in a vicious arc, the blade cutting through the air with a whistle. The edge was razor sharp. The light caught it as he prepared to slash at her again. Their father. Ares was angry over Zeus' preferential treatment. In Athena's defense, she always had more restraint and was a better fit to be a just ruler than Ares._

"_He pampered you!"_

_Athena ducked out of the way of another hurried swing. There was no time to summon her armor or weapons, she was powerless._

"_He groomed you!"_

_A messy stroke brought the blade within inches of her again._

"_He protected you! But he cannot save you now."_

_The venom in Ares' voice was enough to make any mortal cower, but Athena was not a mortal. She was the firstborn daughter of Zeus, rightful heir to the throne of Olympus. No man scared her. _

_The back of Athena's knees hit the edge of the reflecting pool in the middle of the courtyard. She had nowhere to go. Not safely. No matter which way she ran she risked a nasty wound from Ares' sword. _

_The next hack from his blade caught Athena across the arm. It should have come clean off, leaving her limbless, but she slipped on the wet stone near the pool and fell in._

_Instead of cool water, she felt only the rushing of air. She was falling through a sky as black as night, dotted by sparks from the clashing of swords. The wind in her ears was the screams of terrified young girls. The snapping of her court dress only a dreadful reminder of the torture they suffered at her hands. She hit the ground._

Athena touched her pendant on her neck. She was stupid to not call her weapons to her use. If she had, there would've been a chance to fight back.

"After that Ares sealed off Olympus. I thought he considered me dead, but that's not true because he's sent the _diárkeia foniás _after me. And every time I use my healing abilities they get closer."

"And then he comes for you,"

"Yes. It gets worse. After being on Earth so long without any way to get Olympus, I'm getting weaker. I don't know how I can fight Ares in this state."

"You've got the Avengers with you. We'll make sure Ares is defeated."

"Thank you, Thor. But one more thing, no one knows I'm a goddess."

"What do you mean?"

"Fury's kept my identity a secret and I need it to stay that way. No one else can know but us. No telling anyone I'm your cousin and no calling me by my real name. I've worked too hard to have you screw it up."

"What should I call you then?"

"I go by Ana or Doctor Pallas. And only that."

"Got it. You're not my cousin, you're a random doctor named Ana."

"Good."

Athena secured the last bandage.

"How long do you intend to keep up this charade?"

"As long as I need to," she affirmed but the look he gave her made her rethink her answer, "There will come a time when I choose to reveal myself to them, but not until absolutely necessary. Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course,"

"What will it take to get the Captain to trust me?"

"He doesn't trust you?"

"He's onto my disguise but I can't reveal myself yet. But he won't trust me until I do."

"Then tell him,"  
"I can't. It'll put me and them in jeopardy."

"Always a savior," Thor scoffed.

Athena smacked his shoulder and he winced.

"Sorry," she murmured, "This is important to me. There can't be complications."

Thor placed his massive hand on her shoulder, "If that's what you need."

He gave her shoulder a squeeze, it was meant to be comforting but it was too firm to settle her nerves.

"Thor," she called after him.

He turned to look at her, leaning against the doorway.

"Thank you."

"Anything for you, cousin."


End file.
